7, L 0 !THE SS&C 


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No.4 3 






CYCLE BUILDING 


AND REPAIRING 



[T 


PETER HENRY 


























* 




CYCLE BUILDING AND 
REPAIRING 









Fig. i. The Parts of a Cycle. 
it. Seat Pillar. 21. Bottom Bracket. 30. Chain 

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CYCLE BUILDING 
AND REPAIRING 


INCLUDING 

CARE OF LAMP, ENAMELLING, REPAIR 
OF TYRES AND WHEEL BUILDING 


By 

PETER HENRY 


55 ILLUSTRATIONS 



1 > 

I ) ) 

> > * 

LONDON 

E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57, HAYMARKET 

NEW YORK 

SPON & CHAMBERLAIN, 123, LIBERTY STREET 

I9D 









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7 


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v 


CONTENTS 


CHAP. 

I Introduction . 

• 


PAGE 

• 9 

II Building a Machine 

• 


. 19 

III Building the Wheels 

• 


• 3 i 

IV Simple Repairs 

• 


. 40 

V Tyre Repairing 

• 


• 55 

VI Cycle Enamelling . 

• 


• 75 

VII The Care of the Lamp . 

• 


. 82 

Index ..... 

. 


• 93 












CYCLE BUILDING AND 
REPAIRING 


CHAPTER I 

INTRODUCTION 

To the uninitiated the idea of building a cycle is 
almost to invite failure. There are many people 
who would prefer to build a machine rather than 
purchase one from a cycle maker, but the fear of the 
ultimate failure of their handiwork, owing to the 
lack of technical knowledge, prevents many from 
undertaking it. It will be the writer’s object in 
penning the following lines to describe concisely, 
and in a simple manner, the building of a cycle 
from a set of fittings. It is believed that the ama¬ 
teur should not experience any difficulty in its 
accomplishment, provided the instructions are care¬ 
fully and intelligently followed. There is great 
satisfaction to be derived from riding a machine 
built by oneself. 

The tools required in building the machine are 
few in number, and they can be purchased very 


10 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


cheaply. The following list should prove sufficient. 
A set of spanners, including a pin and a cone spanner, 
screw-hammer, nipple key, file, screwdriver and 
a hammer. If a small vice is available it will be 
found extremely useful, but it will not be absolutely 
necessary. For the reader who has only just com¬ 
menced cycling, there are some who will probably 
not be quite familiar with the names of the various 
parts of the machine referred to, so an illustration 
of a machine with all the parts numbered is shown 
by Fig. i. It will now be quite an easy matter to 
refer to the list on page 4 and see exactly the 
names of the fittings and the position they occupy. 

It is not proposed to describe the actual building 
of the frame, as it will be far cheaper and probably 
more satisfactory to purchase it ready made, 
especially when one only is required, as difficulty 
is sure to be encountered in getting good strong 
joints in the frame, owing to the lack of experience 
in brazing. It is advisable to obtain all the fittings 
from one shop and at the same time, so as to make 
sure that they are all the correct size. This will 
save any unnecessary changing. There are some 
firms who make a speciality of supplying people 
outside the trade with all the fittings necessary ; 
this makes it much easier for the amateur. In 
the event of there not being such a firm in the 
reader’s locality, the nearest cycle accessory shop 
should be visited. A cheap set of fittings, in¬ 
cluding first grade tyres, can be obtained from 
about £5. Of course, this is not including speed 


INTRODUCTION 


II 


gears, or an oil bath gear case, etc., which would 
mean a slight increase in the above estimate, but 
the price of the machine, when completed, will 
still be less than if purchased ready made. Before 
attempting to commence the work, or buy the 
fittings, it is essential that the kind of machine is 
settled upon. It would be useless to purchase 
fittings for a roadster machine if it were afterwards 
decided to build a racing model, or vice versa, as 
the fittings would either be too heavy or light for 
the work in hand. 

When selecting the fittings and accessories for a 
roadster machine, it will be advisable not to con¬ 
sider lightness too much, for it must be borne in 
mind that the machine is intended for hard wear. 
The weight of the machine, when completed, should 
certainly not be under 28 lb. When selecting the 
frame, choose one built with butted steel tubing 
for additional strength. The style of the frame is 
a matter of choice between the level top tube and 
a sloping one. If the latter is selected, an excessive 
slope should be avoided, and it should not exceed 
1 in. from the horizontal. If any doubt exists as 
to the size frame required, the most certain way of 
obtaining the correct size is to measure the inside 
of the leg from fork to heel, and from this deduct 
about 10 in. for the length of the crank, and height 
of the saddle and seat pillar. This will be the size 
required. 

The wheels can either be purchased ready made, 
or the hubs, rims and spokes and nipples purchased 


12 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


separately for building up oneself. If so, specify 
non-rustible spokes. The rims may either be 
aluminium or steel. Aluminium rims are lighter 
than steel and are also rustless, which is a great 
consideration for the tyres. They are admirably 
suited for rim brakes, because they require no 
enamelling or plating, which is soon worn away in 
the paths of the brake blocks. The disadvantage 
of aluminium rims is that they sometimes break 
away at the edges. Plated steel rims have a very 
nice appearance when new, but the plating quickly 





wears away and they require thoroughly cleaning 
after riding in wet weather, or rust very soon forms 
on the rim, with disastrous results to the tyres. 
Twenty-eight inch wheels are usually employed for 
machines of this kind, as it is claimed that there is 
less vibration. In the choice of handlebars there 
are many patterns from which to select, and any 
of the following will be found to afford the maximum 
of comfort: the North Road upturned (Fig. 2), 
the Flat (Fig. 3), or the Upturned (Fig. 4). 

The chain should be a thoroughly reliable article, 
such as the Flans Renold or the Brampton. Block 



INTRODUCTION 


13 


chains are very seldom used ; these do not run so 
easily as the roller variety, so the latter should be 
selected. 

The pedals in general use are the rat-trap and the 
rubber. The rubber will be found to afford a better 
footing, unless toe-clips are used. Rat-trap pedals 
have the advantage of being lighter, but this will 
hardly matter with machines of this kind. The 
saddle is one of the most important details of the 
cycle, for upon this the wdiole of the rider’s comfort 
and enjoyment depend. It is a great mistake to 
select a saddle solely for its neat appearance, some 
of them being practically springless. 

A large, comfortable saddle with plenty of springs 
should be selected, that is, if one desires real com¬ 
fort. The Brooks B302 or B90 can be thoroughly 
recommended. It is advisable to select an enamelled 
spring saddle in preference to one with plated 
springs. Not only is it cheaper, but it requires 
less cleaning and attention. The plated springs 
frequently rust away unnoticed, until they snap. 

The mudguards may either be steel or celluloid, 
though aluminium is sometimes employed. They 
should be of ample dimensions, to thoroughly 
protect the machine. 

Two efficient brakes are really necessary. They 
may either be rim, hub or band brakes. With the 
coaster hub the chief drawbacks are, the extra 
weight in the back hub, and the fact that the brake 
cannot be effectively applied at every position in 
the revolution of the pedals. If a coaster hub is 


14 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


used, a rim brake should always be fitted to the 
front wheel, as an additional safeguard in case of 
the chain breaking or the hub brake failing to act. 
In the case of repairs, it is much easier to remove 
a wheel fitted with a coaster hub than the wheel 
of a rim brake machine. 

If a three-speed gear is fitted, which will almost 
be an essential article for a tourist machine, a choice 
between the Sturmey Archer and the Armstrong 
wall be found to give every satisfaction. The chain 
is kept clean and in beautiful condition if an oil 
bath gear case is fitted, though of course this will 
add considerably to the weight of the machine. 

Only thoroughly reliable tyres such as the Palmer, 
Hubbard or Dunlop should be used, for it is purely 
a waste of money to have a machine fitted with 
inferior tyres, as they are always a source of worry 
and trouble to the owner. The tyres should not 
be less than i4 in., and should have an extra thick 
tread. 

Puncture resisting bands could also be fitted to 
the cover for additional security. Extra thick 
tubes should be used ; if they are detachable so 
much the better, as it will facilitate repairs. 

A racing model differs entirely from the model 
described above; with the roadster, weight was 
not taken into consideration, but with a racing 
model it must be as light as possible, combined with 
great strength. The frame should be built with 
the best and lightest steel tubing. 

The wheels should be 26 in. Wooden rims are 



INTRODUCTION 


15 


universally adopted in preference to steel on account 
of their lightness. The choice of handlebars usually 
lies between the North Road deep drop (Fig. 5), or 
the Shirley bars (Fig. 6), which can both be provided 
with or without the extended lug as desired. The 
chain should be a J in. pitch roller. Rat-trap 
pedals should be fitted on account of their lightness ; 
these may be provided with leather toe-clips. 

A saddle suited to the rider’s requirements must 
be selected, for it is useless, and the height of folly, 



Fig. 6. 


Fig. 5. 


to have a light springless saddle, if one is uncomfort¬ 
able when astride. 

The Brooks B18 will be found suitable. If the 
machine is required for pathwork the Bn or the 
B17, which are made especially for the purpose, 
can be selected. 

The tyres will require to be carefully chosen. As 
nearly all the large tyre manufacturers make special 
light tubular racing tyres, the choice will be rather 
extensive, but the Hubbard tyres can be thoroughly 
recommended. The tyres usually employed are 1 
in. in diameter. The weight of a machine of this 





l6 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

kind should be between 20 and 24 lb., that is without 
brakes and mudguards. 

In selecting the fittings for a lady’s machine, 
see that there is sufficient space in the frame to pro¬ 
vide ample dress clearance and also for mounting 
and dismounting. The wheels usually fitted are 
26 or 28 in. ; the latter, in the writer’s opinion, look 
much the neater. The choice of handlebars is 
rather limited. The Flat (Fig. 3), or the Upturned 
(Fig. 4), will be found to afford the maximum of 
comfort. Celluloid handle grips to match the 
enamel will improve the appearance of the machine. 
The cranks should not exceed 6 \ in. in length. A 
\ in. pitch roller chain should be specified; cheap 
chains quickly stretch and wear out, so pay a little 
extra and secure a reliable article. Rubber pedals 
are usually used on a lady’s machine. A saddle 
constructed with a short peak should invariably 
be selected. The Brooks B85 and B302 are both 
excellent saddles and can be thoroughly recom¬ 
mended. Steel mudguards provided with a front 
extension should be fitted. A close meshed dress 
guard will be an essential article, otherwise the 
skirt is liable to get damaged through becoming 
entangled in the spokes. 

A chain cover is also needed to protect the skirt 
from the chain. It will also be found to protect 
the chain to a certain extent, but nothing com¬ 
pared with an oil bath gear case. Roller lever 
brakes will be found excellent, their action being 
very smooth. The inverted levers are no doubt 


INTRODUCTION 


17 


neater, but owing to the cables being hidden from 
view it is impossible to see how they are wearing, 
so they are not advised. At the risk of repeating 
statements, if enjoyment while cycling is required, 
the tyres must not be of inferior quality. Beaded 
edge tyres are ideal for a lady’s machine, owing to 
the simplicity of detachment and replacement for 
repairs. They should be i£ in. in diameter. When 



Fig. 7. 


building the machine the absence of a stand for 
holding the frame will probably be noticed. A 
simple device which will obviate the difficulty can 
be easily and cheaply made. It consists of a metal 
bar 6 in. long, 1 in. wide and J in. thick, bolted to 
a support on the bench as shown in Fig. 7. The 
bar must be raised sufficiently high to enable it to 
be easily slipped between the fork ends. A glance 
.at the illustration will make this clear. 


B 




l8 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

The cycle crate shown by Fig. 8 will doubtless 
be of use, if at any time it is desired to despatch 
the machine a long distance, especially the more 
serious reader who may be considering cycle build¬ 
ing as a means of livelihood. The crate is made 



Fig. 8. 


from material about 2 in. by 1 in. Approximately 
about 90 ft. of wood will be required for a full size 
machine. The strips of wood should be connected 
together by nailing with wire nails. When the 
machine is being packed, it will be advisable toTum 
the handlebars in a line with the machine. 




















CHAPTER II 


BUILDING A MACHINE 

Having selected the fittings, it is now the reader’s 
opportunity to prove himself a skilled workman. 

The tubes of the frame will be bound roundjjwith 
pieces of paper to protect the enamel; this paper 
should not be removed until the machine is com¬ 



pleted. Possibly the frame will have the bracket 
and head fitted, so these will not need attention, 
unless they require slight adjustment, which will 
be described later. However, if they are not fitted, 
proceed in the following manner. To fit the bracket 
together, smear the inside of the cup B in Fig. ir 
and screw it into the bracket (Fig. 9) on the chain 


19 









20 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


wheel side. The correct number of balls are now 
placed in the cup and the spindle C (Figs. 9 and 10), 
is slipped through the bracket from the opposite 
side (see that the correct end of the spindle for the 
chain wheel is passed through first, that is, the 
longer end). Now smear the inside of the other 
cup with vaseline and put the remaining balls in. 
Hold the spindle on the opposite side and screw in 
the left cup, so that the balls are free and yet no 
shake. When the bracket is adjusted, the cotters 
A (Figs. 9 and 12) can be fitted and screwed up 




Fig. 11. 


A 

Fig. 12. 


tight. The spindle should now be twisted to see 
if it revolves freely. 

To fit the front forks, slip the ball race, D, in 
Fig. 13, on the fork stem, E, and knock it down 
flush on to the crown, G, with a wooden mallet. 
The head ball race is then placed in its seating and 
driven home in a similar manner. Smear both 
the ball races with vaseline, then hold the forks 
upright and stick the balls in the hollowed part of 
the race, then, still holding the forks upright, 
carefully place the stem through the head F. 

The forks and frame must be held in position to 
prevent the balls slipping out. Place the balls in 
the head race, then carefully twist the headlock, C, 






BUILDING A MACHINE 


21 


(Fig. 14) on the stem. To facilitate this, it is ad¬ 
visable to first smear a little vaseline on the inside. 

Place the lamp bracket, H, in position and make 
all secure by screwing on the headlock ring, B, 


Figs. 13, 14 and 15, Steering Hea 7 '. 


A. Headlock Nut. 

B. Headlock Ring. 

C. Headlock. 

D. Ball Race. 

E. Fork Stem. 

F. Head Tube. 




Fig. 


Fig. 14. 


Fig. 


15 - 


with a pin spanner. The ring must be tightened 
until the shake is almost imperceptible. Twist 
the forks to see if they revolve freely ; if they 
appear stiff in any way, a ball has probably got 
wedged between the frame and the stem. To 
remedy this, it will be necessary to take the head 
to pieces and rebuild. 










22 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


The crank and chain wheel should next be fitted. 
If the cranks are examined, it will be seen that one 
side is perfectly flat; this must face the outside 
when fitted. Twist the crank on to the left end of 
the spindle, and the chain wheel on to the right, 
until they are both flush with the ends of the spindle. 
Now examine the cotter pin and it will be seen that 
one side is flat. This flat side must face a similar 
flat groove in the spindle. Turn the crank round 



Fig. 16. 


until the flat groove in the spindle is visible through 
the cotter hole. Push the cotter pins into the 
holes, taking care that they are inserted in opposite 
directions, that is, one pointing upwards and the 
other downwards. Hold a hammer under the 
crank and then drive the cotter home smartly with 
another hammer, as in Fig. 16. Fit the metal 
washer and screw on the nut. Do not leave the 
cotter half out of the crank and expect the nut to 




BUILDING A MACHINE 


23 


draw it into place. The cranks should ht tightly 
to the spindle. 

The pedals are usually marked with an L on one, 
and an R on the other; this indicates the left and 
the right, so put the pedals on accordingly, the 
former having a left-handed thread and the latter 
a right-handed thread. It is not essential to fit the 
pedals at this stage of the work; they can, if desired, 
be fitted last. The mudguards, if of the steel 
variety, should next be fitted ; if the detachable 
celluloid kind, they may be left until the wheels 
are fitted. The front guard should be connected 
to the crown with a bolt and nut, the bolt passing 
from the front to the back through a hole drilled 
in the crown. If a hole is not provided, one should 
be drilled before fitting the forks. The back guard 
will probably require two holes punched in it, to 
enable it to be connected to the bridge pieces with 
nuts and bolts. The front and back stays should 
next be fitted to the guards. When fitting the 
screws see that they are inserted in the best position, 
that is, where the screwdriver can be most easily 
used. The frame should now be left for a few 
minutes while the wheels receive attention. To fit 
a freewheel screw it on the hub as tightly as possible, 
then wrap a piece of old chain round the cogs for 
protection, and place it in the vice in a horizontal 
position. The wheel should then be turned until 
it is screwed on tightly. It will be advisable to 
take a file and go round the bed of both rims, so as 
to file off the tops of any spokes that may pro- 


24 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


trude, as the sharp ends often work through the 
tapes and cause punctures. Rim tapes should then 
be fitted in the bed of the rim. Place one side of 
the outer cover on the rim and then sprinkle the 
inside liberally with French chalk. The valve 
should then be placed through the hole in the rim ; 
adjust the nuts and slightly inflate the tube so as 
to prevent it getting nipped when the cover is being 
put on. The subject of tyre fitting is fully des¬ 
cribed in a chapter on “ Tyre Repairing/’ The tyres 
should be inflated hard before attempting to fit 
the wheels to the frame. To fit the front wheel 
see that the adjusting cone is on the left side, and 
place the spindle through the hole at the bottom 
of the fork blade. The other blade must now be 
pulled, so as to increase the distance between the 
blades, to enable the other end of the spindle to be 
inserted in the hole. Care must be taken, or the 
fingers will get damaged between the spokes and 
the blades. Place the ring, at the bottom of the 
mudguard stays, on the spindle, or if detachable 
guards are to be used, fit the plates and screw on 
the nuts. It will hardly be necessary to provide 
washers, as the stays will answer the same purpose. 
The adjusting cone should now be screwed up 
tight, and then slackened back about half a turn. 
Hold the wheel so that it is central in the forks and 
tighten the nuts ; sometimes this tightening causes 
the adjustment of the hub to be altered. 

Now give the wheel the following tests, and if it 
answers to each of them the wheel is correctly 


BUILDING A MACHINE 


25 


adjusted. Hold the rim near the forks and try 
and move it sideways by gently shaking; any 
looseness will quickly be apparent. If this is the 
case, loosen the nuts and tighten the adjusting 
cone a little, then readjust the nuts. Now spin 
the wheel; it should revolve freely and silently, 
and when it is about to stop, the weight of the 
valve should cause the wheel to revolve in the oppo¬ 
site direction. If it stops abruptly, it is obvious 
that the bearings are too tight and must be slack¬ 
ened a little. After this, it will be advisable to 
repeat the former test to see if it is still satisfactory. 

The back wheel must now be taken in hand ; put 
the chain adjuster on the spindle, and slip the 
wheel as far as possible in the slots in the fork ends. 
It should be noticed that the free wheel is on the 
same side as the chain wheel, also that the adjusters 
are between the wheel and the frame. Then fit 
the mudguard stays and nuts. Try the chain in 
position to see whether it is necessary to remove 
or add a link. Full instructions on shortening 
and lengthening a chain are given on p. 49. If 
it is the correct length, connect the chain with the 
nut and bolt; it is advisable to do this on the 
chain wheel, as more pressure can be applied with 
the screwdriver. To adjust the back wheel, tighten 
the spindle nut on the opposite side of the chain, 
then tighten the chain adjuster on the chain side, 
until the chain is just slack ; hold the rim in the 
centre of the frame with the left hand and tighten 
the spindle nut with the right. Now loosen the 


26 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


other spindle nut and tighten the chain adjuster 
on that side, so that both are equal. Make sure 
that the rim is still in the centre of the frame, and 
screw the nut up tightly. The adjustment should 
now be tested as described above. See also if 
both wheels are in “ track,” that is, in a perfectly 
straight line. To test, place a straight edge across 
the wheels—it should touch the rims in four places. 

The handlebar and seat pillar should next be 
fitted ; there must be at least 2 in. of the stem in the 
machine, as it is dangerous to ride with less. To 
facilitate adjustment, smear a little vaseline or oil 
on the stems; this often saves a lot of unnecessary 
straining and pulling in raising or lowering the bar, 
besides preventing the formation of rust. 

To fit a Bowden brake, or brakes of a similar 
description, first place the handlebar lever in posi¬ 
tion. This will depend on individual taste, and 
the majority of cyclists prefer the lever just under 
the handlebars, so the writer advises that the lever 
is first fitted in this position and then altered as 
required. 

The bridge and spring clips should next be fitted 
on the back stays. The former above the tyre and 
the latter below. Before the shoe can be fitted 
one of the pad holders must first be removed to 
allow it to be placed over the back wheel. This is 
removed by unscrewing the nut which connects 
it to the shoe. With the older pattern shoe there 
is no need to remove the pad holder, as the shoe 
is made in two pieces, which can be taken apart by 


BUILDING A MACHINE 


removing the screws at the top of the shoe. It is 
also necessary to take the shoe apart to fit the 
cable. Attach the two springs to the clips and 
the shoe, now pull the bridge up the stays until the 
blocks touch the rim, and tighten the nuts and bolts. 
Pull the spring clips down the stays, which in turn 
will pull the shoe down, until the wheel is just able 
to revolve without touching the blocks. When 
the clip is in position, tighten the nut and bolt 
to prevent it from slipping. Grip the handlebar 
lever and see if it locks the wheel; if not, loosen 
and raise the bridge a little. When the brake 
works satisfactorily, go over all the nuts and bolts 
and see that they are screwed up tight. Finally, 
fit the cable bands to the frame and the handle¬ 
bars. 

With the ordinary type of rim brake the handle¬ 
bar clip is either fitted to the top or the stem of the 
bar. To save taking the clip to pieces when fitting, 
slide it round from the end of the bar (if the grips 
are not attached) or up the stem. When the pad 
or block holders are not detachable the shoe must 
be sprung over the tyre. This is usually the case 
with the cheaper kind of brakes, but it is advisable 
to leave them alone, as the fittings are made from 
such soft material which quickly snaps, besides 
being very dangerous. The brake must be adjusted 
so that the blocks are not more than -J in. away 
from the rim ; this gives increased braking power. 
The adjustment of a back brake, fitted under the 
chain stays, is usually made by tightening a nut 


28 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


underneath the bottom bracket, which in turn 
pulls the shoe and blocks nearer the rim. Or else, 
there is a nut on the draw-bolt which is unscrewed 
to make the necessary adjustment. In this case, 
it is necessary to knock or pull the shoe nearer the 
rim, and hold it in position and re-tighten the nuts. 
Should the brake block knock the valve, while the 
wheel is revolving, it will be necessary to cut away 
a portion of the block with a sharp knife. 

To fit the saddle to the seat pillar, loosen the nuts 
of the clip, underneath the leather, and twist it on 
the pillar. The correct tilt of the saddle cannot be 
advised upon, as it varies with riders. The majority 
of cyclists prefer the peak of the saddle tilted slightly 
up, so first try it in this position and alter to suit 
personal requirements. Screw the clip nuts up 
very tightly or the tilt of the saddle will alter when 
mounted and destroy the serrations of the clip. 
The handlebar grips should next be fixed. Usually 
it is sufficient to fill them, if new, with boiling 
water and immediately turn the contents out and 
place the grip on the bar. Do not attempt to hold 
or pull the grips until the adhesive has securely 
set. As an alternative method, the ends of the 
bars may be heated, taking care not to injure the 
plating, and a little solid tyre cement smeared on the 
bar ; the grips should then be fitted and left until 
they are securely fixed. The writer has always 
found the former method quite satisfactory, and 
k is certainly less trouble. When fitting the pump 
clips a little discretion should be used as to which 


BUILDING A MACHINE 


29 


tube they should be attached. The top tube is not 
very suitable, as the pump is in the way when lifting 
the machine. The objection to the down tube is 
that the pump is not visible when riding. So it 
is advised that the pump be fitted to the tube from 
the head to the bottom bracket, as by so doing the 
pump is always visible, and at the same time is out 
of the way. The bell and the toe-clips (if any) 
should then be fitted, and the machine, if a gentle¬ 
man’s, will be complete. 

The handlebars of a lady’s machine should be 
raised so that they are a little higher than the 
saddle. The dress guard should be provided with 
detachable quadrants which are attached to the 
back stays. It is not necessary to describe the 
fitting of the dress guard, as it is so exceedingly 
simple. To fit a celluloid variety chain cover, 
attach the support for the frame behind the chain 
wheel, on the chain stays, with two screws. Then 
place the pedal and the chain wheel crank through 
the circular hole provided in the cover. The pro¬ 
jecting piece of metal, on the top of the support, 
is placed through the hole in the frame of the cover ; 
the bottom portion of the support being fixed to 
the frame with a screw. The support at the free¬ 
wheel end of the cover is usually riveted to the 
frame and is fixed to the stays by means of a clip 
screwed to the support. Before tightening the 
screw, turn the crank and the chain round and see 
if they knock the cover at any place. If they 
should knock at any place, it will be necessary to 


30 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


alter the position of the cover. The metal case for 
protecting the freewheel should next be fitted. 
This may be attached by just sliding the case over 
the end of the frame, telescopic fashion, or by screw¬ 
ing together with nuts and bolts. The former 
method is quite satisfactory, and it certainly saves 
time when removing the wheel. 

The machine should now be given a thorough 
lubricating, and it will be ready for the owner to 
ride just where he pleases without the slightest fear 
of the machine failing. Do not forget to close all 
the lubricating holes with the respective caps, or 
dust will get in the bearings. 


CHAPTER III 


BUILDING THE WHEELS 

The building of wheels may appear very difficult, 
but if the instructions are carefully followed, the 
reader should not experience any difficulty in the 
spoking of the wheels. The wheels are built upon 
what is known as the tangent principle. 



Fig. 17. 


£ 

Fig. iS. 

The spokes usually employed are the double- 
butted (Fig. 17) and the plain variety (Fig. 18). It 
is advisable to use the double-butted spoke, as the 
slight extra expense incurred is hardly worth con¬ 
sidering. The ends of these spokes are slightly 
stouter than the stems, which make the threaded 
ends and the stem equal in strength. This is not 
so with the plain variety, the threaded end being 
the weakest part. If the double-butted spokes 
are to be used, they may be No. 15 gauge at the 


21 













32 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


ends and No. 18 gauge at the stem. However, 
if it is desired to use the plain variety spoke, a suit¬ 
able gauge will be No. 16. The spokes should be 
purchased all ready threaded and cut to a size, as 
special tools would be required which would not 
pay the amateur to possess, if only a few pairs of 
wheels are to be built. It will also be advisable 
to obtain the rims drilled, as it will save an immense 
amount of trouble. If it is desired to drill the rims, 
the spoke holes must first be set out in the rim; 
there will be thirty-two required for the front wheel 
and forty for the back wheel. There are two simple 
methods of setting out the spoke holes. Firstly, 
place a piece of string round the inside of the rim, 
so as to ascertain the exact length. This distance 
should then be measured, and the result obtained, 
divided by thirty-two or forty, whichever wheel it 
is intended for. A pair of dividers should then be 
set to this measure. Now step round the rim the 
exact number of times and mark each point with a 
piece of chalk. 

The second method, and probably the simpler of 
the two, is to obtain a wheel ready built to act as 
a guide and place the rim upon this and carefully 
mark the position for the spoke holes. If the spoke 
holes are examined in the guide rim, it will be 
noticed that they are not all drilled on a centre 
line, but alternately on each side of a centre line. 
This enables the spokes to have a greater pull on 
the rim. The holes must not be more than Att in. 
on each side of the line. To facilitate this, it will 


BUILDING THE WHEELS 


33 


be advisable to draw or scratch two lines, about 
i in. apart, round the rim with a marking gauge, 
and centre punch the position for the spoke holes. 
When using the punch, the rims should be supported 
on a padded surface, consisting of old pieces of 
cloth material placed on the end of the vice. The 
blows should be delivered gentle and sharp, or the 
rim will be damaged. The rims are now ready for 
drilling, which can be best accomplished in the lathe. 
Care must be taken to get the valve hole centrally 
between two spoke holes. The holes should then 
be filed to remove any roughness which has been 
left from drilling. 

When spoking the wheels it is a good plan, especi¬ 
ally for the amateur, to number the holes in the 
rim. This can easily be accomplished by sticking 
small pieces of gum paper, such as stamp edging, 
against each hole, and numbering them in numerical 
order. If the holes in the hub flange are examined, 
it will be seen that they are countersunk alternately 
on each side of the flange; this enables the round 
heads of the spokes to be slightly embedded. 

To build a front wheel with thirty-two spokes, 
proceed as follows. Insert a spoke in a top hole in 
the flange, taking care that it is placed through the 
hole on the correct side, so as to enable the head of 
the spoke to rest in the countersunk hole. Then 
slip the spoke in a hole in the rim for that side of 
the flange as A in Fig. 19. Then fit a washer on 
the spoke and make all secure by screwing on a 
nipple. Now insert the next spoke B in the next 


34 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


hole on the other side of the same flange. Cross the 
spoke B over A and place it through a hole in the 
rim so as to leave nine holes between the spokes. 
Fit the next spoke C in the seventh hole in the flange, 
and place it through a hole in the rim so as to leave 



Fig. 19. 


flve holes between spokes B and C. Fit the next 
spoke D in the eighth hole in the flange, and connect 
to a hole in the rim so as to leave nine rim holes 
between spokes C and D. This should also leave 
five holes between A and D. It is essential that the 
heads of the spokes should rest in the countersunk 
holes, so make sure that they are all inserted from 














BUILDING THE WHEELS 


35 


the correct side before proceeding with the work. 
Turn the wheel over, then fit four more spokes, 
E, F, G, H, in exactly the same way on the opposite 
side of the flange. The spokes should be inserted 
in the flange holes directly opposite the spokes on 
the other end of the flange. The nipples should be 
screwed on the spokes until they are just taut. 
Turn the wheel round again, and insert the re¬ 
mainder of the spokes on that side of the flange. 
The letter references I and J show the position for 
the next pair of spokes ; there must be nine holes 
between them. Every alternate spoke inserted 
in the flange, when connected to the rim, should 
have three rim holes between. The remainder of 
the spokes are fitted in exactly the same way. 
The spokes with their heads embedded on the out¬ 
side of the flange must cross on the outside those 
with their heads on the inside. The spokes should 
now be tightened equally with a nipple key or a 
ratchet screwdriver, taking care that the rim is not 
pulled out of shape. Instructions on truing a 
wheel will be found on p. 40. 

To build a wheel containing forty spokes, proceed 
as follows:— 

Insert a spoke through a flange hole and then 
put it through a hole in the rim as A in Fig. 20. 
A washer should then be fitted and a nipple 
screwed on the spoke, just sufficient to hold it in 
position. The spoke B should be inserted in the 
seventh flange hole from A. The holes should be 
counted in the same direction as the hands travel 


36 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

in a clock. The spoke should then be crossed over 
or under A (this being decided as explained in a 
previous paragraph) and then connect to the rim 
two holes above A. The spoke C should be in¬ 
serted in the third flange hole from B ; this should 



Fig. 20. 


be connected to the rim, so as to leave seventeen 
rim holes between B and C. The spoke D should 
be inserted in the seventh flange hole from C. This 
should also leave two holes in the flange between D 
and A. The spoke should then be crossed over or 
under C, and connected to the rim, two holes below. 
The spokes should now be checked to see if they 










BUILDING THE WHEELS 


37 


are correct, before proceeding with the building. 
Having satisfied yourself on this point, place spoke 
E through the second flange hole from A and con¬ 
nect to the rim so as to leave three rim holes between 
A and E. In every other flange hole insert a spoke, 
and connect it to the rim so as to leave three rim 
holes between it and its predecessor. A glance 
at the spokes F and G will make this quite clear. 
It will also be observed that the spokes B and G 
form the first pair, and if the instructions have 
been carried out, it should leave thirteen rim holes 
between. Insert five more spokes as described 
above to complete the spokes running in the same 
direction. Place the spoke H in the flange hole 
between A and E, and cross over A and connect 
to a rim hole, so as to leave thirteen holes between. 
Then insert the remainder of the spokes to fill the 
vacant holes on that end of the flange. It must 
be remembered that the spokes when connected to 
the rim must have three holes between. Care 
must also be taken to cross the spokes correctly. 
Should any be found incorrect, unscrew the nipple 
and remedy the error. This will complete the 
lacing of the spokes on this end of the flange. Turn 
the wheel round and place a spoke straight through 
a hole in the flange (in a parallel line with the hub), 
it will point between two spokes in position. These 
spokes will have been inserted from opposite sides 
of the flange, and the one that has been fitted from 
the inside of the flange will act as the guide for the 
remainder of the spokes. Pull the spoke up to 


3-8 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

the rim, and insert it in the hole above the guide 
spoke. Now place a spoke (nine will be required) 
in every other flange hole and connect to the rim 
in exactly the same way. The remaining ten spokes 



Fig. 21. Front Hub. 


A. Spindle. 

B. Lock Nuts. 

C. Adjusting Cone. 

D. Hub Shell. 


E. Hub Flange. 

F. Cone. 

G. Lubricator. 





should then be fltted in position and the wheel 
will be completely spoked. 

Now take a nipple key and go all round the nipples 
tightening them each in turn, until the thread is just 
visible; the spokes should then be fairly taut 
and the wheel will be ready for the final truing. 

















































BUILDING THE WHEELS 


39 


If a wheel building stand is not available, the frame 
of the cycle will be suitable for the purpose. In¬ 
structions on truing a wheel will be found on p. 40. 

The wheels will always be a continual source of 
worry if the correct tension is not obtained on all 
the spokes, so care must be taken in the truing of 
the wheels. 


CHAPTER IV 


SIMPLE REPAIRS 

It will be advisable for the reader to make himself 
thoroughly acquainted with the various repairs 
described in this chapter, as it may be the means 
of saving many a shilling, besides having the satis¬ 
faction of accomplishing it himself. Then again 
there is another point from which it may be looked 
at with advantage, the accident on a country road, 
which may result in a long, weary walk to the 
nearest cycle repairer, before the journey can be 
resumed. We ask the reader, whether it would 
not be better to open the tool bag and make good 
the damage on the spot ? 

The repairs described will be found exceedingly 
simple, and can be undertaken by anybody posses¬ 
sing a few tools, a little dexterity with the lingers, 
and last, but not least, a little patience. A frequent 
repair in the workshop is a wheel out of truth. First 
remove the wheel and then take the tyre off. Now 
slip the wheel back in the frame and tighten up 
both the nuts. Give the wheel a good spin and hold 
a piece of chalk by the forks to one side of the rim ; 
this will mark any places that are out of truth. 


SIMPLE REPAIRS 


4 1 

'Stop the wheel, and note where there are any chalk 
marks. Get the nipple key and gradually tighten 
the spokes opposite the chalk marks that are con¬ 
nected to the other side of the hub. Now hold 
the chalk to the other side of the rim and tighten 
up the spokes in the same way. By chalking and 
tightening alternately on each side of the rim the 
wheel will become dead true. Take a file and go 
round the inside of the rim and hie off the tops of 
any spokes that may protrude through the nipples. 

To true a wheel that is out of truth in the round, 
•spin it and hold a piece of chalk to the top of the 
rim so that it marks any high places. Now gradu¬ 
ally tighten the spokes on both sides under the 
•chalk marks. Hold a rule or anything having a 
flat edge up against the forks so that the wheel will 
just clear it when revolving. This will show up 
any low places that may be in the rim, and the 
spokes should be loosened at all such places. 

Should any spokes be broken they can be replaced 
very cheaply. Make sure what size the wheel is; 
if uncertain look at the outer cover and see what 
size is stamped round the edge. A cycle repairer 
will supply a new spoke and nipple the size required 
for twopence. Should more than one be broken, 
do not take them all out at once, otherwise it might 
not be quite clear to which hole in the rim the new 
spoke should be connected. 

.Slip the spoke through the hole in the hub flange 
and place the nipple through the rim and connect 
up by screwing the nipple on the spoke and tighten 


42 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


up with a nipple key. The wheel is then trued as 
described above. 

Should there be any clicking noise in the wheels 
it is probably caused by a broken ball, or the cones 
may have become the worse for wear. It is of no 
use guessing the cause of the noise ; loosen the 
adjusting cone, C in Fig. 21, and hold the wheel 
on the slant, so that the balls will fall out into the 
hand. Then place the balls in a box, eggcup, or 
other suitable receptacle, so that they will not get 
knocked over and scattered all over the floor, as 
experience has taught that they are very difficult 
to find again. Remove the cones C and F and 
take out the spindle A. Soak a piece of rag in 
paraffin and pull it backwards and forwards through 
the hub shell I), to clean it, then rub the cones and 
spindle with the rag. To clean the balls, place 
them in a rag and rub briskly between the hands. 
Now examine each one carefully, and should any be 
damaged throw them away. Do not trust to re¬ 
membering the size of the balls when purchasing 
new ones, but take a sample to the shop. The 
cones and cups of the hub will also require examining, 
and if damaged they will have to be replaced. 

When replacing the balls get some vaseline and 
smear the cups. Count the balls and place half of 
them in the cup ; screw the cone on to the spindle 
and put it through the hub. Be careful not to 
knock any balls down between the spindle and 
the hub shell. Hold the spindle tightly, so as to 
prevent the balls from tumbling out, and lay the 


SIMPLE REPAIRS 


43 


wheel carefully over on its side, to enable the re¬ 
maining balls to be replaced. Then screw the ad¬ 
justing cone up tight, then slacken back half a turn 
so that there is just sufficient play. Hold the 
wheel in the hands by the spindle, and give the 
spokes a sharp twist with the thumb; it should 
revolve freely, that is, if the cone has been properly 
adjusted. 

When removing cotter pins from the cranks it is 
always attempted with risks of damaging the 
machine unless a cotter pin extractor is used. If 
one is not possessed, it must be done very carefully 
with a hammer. Remove the nut and washer 
from the cotter, hold a hammer under the crank 
so as to reduce the shock the machine will receive 
and knock the cotter out with another hammer, as 
shown in Fig. 16 on p. 22. Hit the cotter squarely, 
taking care not to burr over the thread. The crank 
can now be easily removed. It will be found when 
replacing cotters that it is much easier to remove 
them than to replace them. 

After an accident, it is often found that the crank 
is bent; sometimes it is so bad that it will not re¬ 
volve without knocking the sides of the frame. If 
so, hold the machine rigid and try and force the 
crank by pressing with the foot. It can generally 
be bent sufficiently in this way to complete the 
journey. 

When the destination is reached, the crank should 
be removed and straightened properly. Wrap it 
in a piece of rag to protect the plating, lay a piece 


44 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


of wood upon it, as in Fig. 24, and hit it with a heavy 
hammer. Test the crank with a straight-edge 
after each blow. 

It is advisable to remove the pedals now and 
again to give them a thorough cleaning, though they 
can be cleaned,, more or less, by squirting paraffin 
into the bearings. 

To remove a pedal from a crank, take off the 
nut E and the washer D (Figs. 25 and 26), 




Fig. 24. 


which is usually found rather stiff, but this can 
easily be overcome by levering with the blade of a 
penknife. Unscrew the adjusting cone C with a 
small screwdriver; the pedal shell can then be 
drawn off the spindle B (Fig. 27), but first hold a 
box underneath to catch the balls. 

The bearings should be cleaned, and replaced, 
in the same way as described in a previous para¬ 
graph. 

With rubber pedals the rubber blocks, after a time, 









SIMPLE REPAIRS 


45 


often wear out and a set of new blocks should be 
purchased and fitted. The cranks must first be 
removed before the bottom bracket can be taken 



Fig. 25. Pedal. 


6 


A. Pedal Shell. 

B. Spindle. 

C. Adjusting Cone. 


D. YV'asher. 

E. Nut. 

F. Dust Cap. 




apart. Then remove the two bracket cotters A 
(Figs. 9 and 12). The cups B are then unscrewed 
with a pin spanner and the spindle C is taken out. 
The balls should be soaked in a vessel containing 






46 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

paraffin oil to clean them. The bracket is cleaned 
by passing a rag dipped in paraffin oil backwards 
and forwards. Full instructions on fitting the 
bracket together will be found on p. 19. 

To remove the front forks first unscrew the head- 
lock nut A, in Fig. 13, and disconnect the brakes. 
The handlebars can then be removed. The head- 
lock ring, B, is then unscrewed with a pin spanner. 
Extreme care must be used now, otherwise the balls 
will fall out. Hold the crown of the forks and the 
frame with one hand, pull the headlock, C, off with 
a twist and upward motion with the other. The 
balls will now be exposed; they should be placed 
in an eggcup or any suitable receptacle. Now 
carefully lift the frame from the forks. Hold the 
frame at an angle, and place the hand underneath 
the crown to catch the balls, and pull the forks a 
little out of the frame. 

When it is desired to fix a freewheel the old fixed 
cog or freewheel, whichever is fitted, must first be 
removed. 

With the fixed cog there is a lock ring, which can 
be unscrewed with a punch and a hammer. This 
ring unscrews to the right, as it has a left-handed 
thread. The cog wheel can be removed by placing 
it in the vice and turning the wheel round to the 
left. In the absence of a vice, place the wheel in 
the frame, adjust the chain and tighten both nuts 
on the spindle. Hold the machine so that the 
wheel cannot revolve and turn the chain backwards 
by means of the pedals. 


SIMPLE REPAIRS 


47 


A freewheel can be removed with a punch and 
a hammer. They are usually very stiff, so a heavy 
blow must be given with the hammer. It will be 
as well when buying a freewheel to take the old 
wheel to the shop in order to get one the size re¬ 
quired. This will save any unnecessary changing. 

The freewheel is fitted in the same manner as 
described above, with the exception that the wheel 
or chain should be turned in the opposite direction. 

It may have been noticed that something has 
slipped when applying extra pressure to the pedals, 
such as riding a hill. If so, it is probably the clutch 
that is at fault. To test a freewheel clutch to see 
if it is working correctly, turn the freewheel back 
a little with the pedals, and then press forward. 
Repeat this for a number of times ; if it is working 
correctly, it should lock every time and not slip. 
Should it be found to slip it has most likely been 
over-oiled. Lay the machine over on its side and 
squirt paraffin liberally in through the oil holes. 
Turn the freewheel round several times and try 
the clutch again. It will now most likely be found 
to work satisfactorily. Do not use a thick oil 
when lubricating. A little colza with paraffin will 
be suitable. 

As there are now so many different coaster and 
speed hubs on the market, space will not permit 
giving instructions on the various adjustments 
needed. The writer advises any reader who experi¬ 
ences any difficulty, to apply to the manufacturer, 
who will no doubt be able to supply a descriptive 


48 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

pamphlet fully describing the adjustments of the 
hub. 

The best way to clean a chain that is thick with 
dust and grease is to soak it in a vessel containing 
paraffin oil for two or three days. If two small 
pieces of wood are laid at the bottom of the vessel 
and the chain coiled up on top of these, it will 
enable the chain to receive a thorough soaking in 
the oil. Remove the chain and hang it over the 
vessel to catch the paraffin that will drip off. Wipe 
the chain dry with a piece of old rag and lubricate 
it with some chain graphite. A good chain lubri¬ 
cant can be made by powdering some plumbago 
(blacklead) and mixing it with colza oil until it 
is of the consistency of treacle. When this is 
being made, make a supply, as it is not any more 
trouble to make a quantity than only to make 
sufficient for one lubrication. It should be kept in 
a tin box provided with a lid to keep any dirt and 
dust from mixing with it. An old brush should 
also be kept for the purpose of applying the lubricant 
to the chain. 

A more thorough method of lubricating a chain 
is to boil it in some mutton tallow with a little 
powdered blacklead, then remove the chain and 
wipe it thoroughly. This is one of the best ways 
of lubricating a chain, as the tallow gets inside every 
roller and link. Care should be exercised when 
melting the tallow, as it is very inflammable. 

When fitting the chain to the machine make 
sure that it is connected together securely. It is 


SIMPLE REPAIRS 


49 


as well to glance at this every now and again and 
tighten the nut and bolt with a screwdriver, as the 
nut often works loose, owing to the jolting and 
vibration of the machine, and if the bolt were to 
come out whilst riding down a hill, a nasty accident 
might be the result, especially if a back pedalling 
brake is used, for there would be no means of 
applying the brake. 

When a chain has been in use for some time, the 
rivets occasionally work loose. To tighten them, 
lay the chain on its side on a piece of iron or steel, 
and hammer the loose rivets with a heavy hammer, 
until they are burred over and fit tightly. 

A 


Fig. 28. Fig, 29. 

To shorten a chain first ascertain the exact num¬ 
ber of links that can be removed by trying the chain 
on the machine. Fig. 28 illustrates a chain which 
is to be shortened by removing the link A. Place 
the chain on its side in a vice, so that the burred 
heads of the pins B and C can be filed down. 

Hold the file flat when filing, so as to prevent the 
side plates from being damaged. The pins can 
now be punched out, and the links easily removed. 
Connect the chain together with a chain bolt and nut. 

Should it be desired to increase the length of a 

D 




50 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


chain, special links for the purpose can be bought. 
If only one link is required in the chain purchase 
one similar to Fig. 29. When the chain requires 
adjusting, undo the nut on the chain side, alter the 
chain adjuster and then tighten up the spindle nut. 
Treat the nut and chain adjuster on the opposite 
side in the same way. While tightening the nut 
hold the wheel in the centre of the frame. 

Sometimes when borrowing a machine from a 
friend, after lowering the seat pillar to its lowest 
extent, it is found that the frame is too tall. In 
such a case as this, the saddle clip should be re¬ 
versed, so that it is above the seat pillar. This 
will be found to lower the saddle. When raising 
the seat pillar, see that there is quite 2 in. left in 
the down tube of the machine, as riding with less 
is dangerous. 

The hardness of a saddle, owing to the leather 
being stretched too tight, can be remedied by loos¬ 
ening the nut underneath the leather at the peak 
of the saddle. Or the leather can be softened and 
made pliable by rubbing the underneath side with 
a little castor oil. Use the oil sparingly, otherwise 
it will be liable to stain the trousers. 

Never attempt to alter the tilt of a saddle before 
first loosening the nuts of the saddle clip, or the 
serrations will be destroyed. The correct tilt of 
the saddle will depend on the rider, and can only 
be ascertained by altering and using the saddle. 
The majority of riders ride with the peak of the 
saddle tilted up slightly. 


SIMPLE REPAIRS 


51 


The mudguards rattling often causes annoyance 
by irritating the rider. This may be prevented 
by fitting small rubber washers, cut from an old 
inner tube, on the bolts before placing it through 
the guard. Another washer should be fitted before 
screwing on the nut. When the front guard stands 
out too far, an accident may be caused when turn¬ 
ing a corner quickly, owing to the foot catching in 



Fig. 30. Pig. 31. 


the guard. To prevent this, the stays should be 
bent so as to draw the mudguard nearer the tyre. 
The straps of a mudguard look very untidy when 
they are only placed under the buckle with the ends 
protruding. They can be made to look extremely 
neat if they are placed over and then under the 
buckle and the ends of the straps turned back as 
in Fig. 30 and then rolled tightly up. The result 
when on the machine will be similar to Fig. 31. 

Celluloid mudguards very often get broken, es- 



52 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


pecially the front guard, through the foot catching 
in it when turning a corner. The best way of deal¬ 
ing with a guard broken in two is to cut a piece from 
an old guard to form a background, which should 
be riveted inside the broken guard. Should an 
old guard not be obtainable, a piece of tin can be 
employed. The tin, or celluloid, should be cut 
about 6 in. long and nearly the same width as the 
guard. Holes must now be drilled in the guard, 
and in the plate to receive the rivets (about a dozen 
will be sufficient). If tin is used, it must be treated 
with a coat of paint or japan on both sides, to pre¬ 
vent the formation of rust. The rivets can be 
obtained at any tool-dealer’s shop. 

The brake blocks of rim brakes should be adjusted 
so that they are parallel to the wheel, and that it 
just clears them while revolving. Should the rim 
knock up against the blocks in certain places, it is 
evident that the wheel is not true, and before the 
brakes can be adjusted properly the wheel must be 
put right. 

The brakes will also work with a jerky action if 
the wheel is out of truth. When the brake blocks 
are worn, it will be found that the inside of the 
block is worn more than the outside. If these blocks 
are reversed, it gives them a new lease of life, as it 
will bring that part of the block into use that is not 
worn. 

The brakes will spring off the wheel much easier 
if the stirrups are oiled where they enter the slots 
in the fork clips. 


SIMPLE REPAIRS 


53 


The nuts and screws of a brake should be con¬ 
stantly tried to see if they are working loose. 

The wires of cable brakes after a time occasion¬ 
ally get frayed out at the handlebar lever, and also 
by the bridge. The cable is generally long enough 
to allow of it being shortened. 

To shorten a cable, heat the brass nipple until 
the solder melts. Pull the cable through the nipple 
with a pair of pliers until the damaged portion is 
passed. Sever the cable and place the nipple in a 
vice so that about an eighth of an inch protrudes 
beyond the nipple. Burr the strands of the cable 
over the head of the nipple with a hammer, and 
then make all secure with a little solder. 

If the cable is not long enough, a new one should 
be purchased and fitted without delay, as the frayed 
wires are liable to part any time and the brake would 
be useless. When fitting a new cable, it must first 
be well coated with vaseline. 

A few words on using the spanner will not be 
amiss. The first thing is to see that the spanner 
fits the nuts properly, for if not, the corners of the 
nuts will soon be rounded and adjustment will be 
made difficult, owing to the spanner slipping. 
Should a screw-hammer be used, see that it is screwed 
up tightly on the nut for the reason stated above. 

When tightening a nut, do not overdo it, as it is 
possible to damage the thread. Do not think by 
this that riding with the nuts loose is advocated; 
there is reason in everything. 

See that there is plenty of room for the knuckles 


54 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


should the nut or spanner slip. More pressure can 
be brought to bear on the nuts if the spanner is so 
held that part of the machine can be grasped by 
the hand. 

When the sides of a nut become rounded, and 
sufficient force cannot be used to turn them on 
account of the spanner slipping, the sides of the nut 
should be filed flat, to enable a firmer grip to be 
obtained with the spanner. 




CHAPTER V 


TYRE REPAIRING 

When selecting tyres, those of a reputable manu¬ 
facturer should always be chosen. Cost is too fre¬ 
quently taken into consideration. The best are 
far the cheapest in the long run. The reason why 
cheap tyres are stocked by agents, is that there is 
usually a larger amount of profit to be made. Tyres 
with guarantees cannot always be relied upon, as 
one person might cycle twice or three times as many 
miles as another one in a certain time. The con¬ 
ditions of the roads and the amount of care ex¬ 
pended on the tyres make it impossible for any 
tyre to be guaranteed for any length of time. Many 
riders are doubtful whether to have wired or beaded 
edge tyres fitted to the machine. For an ordinary 
roadster machine where speed is not taken into 
account, the writer prefers the beaded edged tyre, 
owing to the simplicity of detachment. Where 
speed is taken into account, the wired or tubular 
tyre should be chosen, as it is impossible to make 
a beaded tyre quite so light as a wired one, owing 
to the material necessary to form the beaded edge 
weighing slightly more than the steel wires employed 


56 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

in the latter. Then, again, the rim for a beaded 
tyre is slightly heavier than the rim for a wired tyre. 

Providing that proper attention is paid to the 
care of the tyres, its life can be considerably in¬ 
creased. Cyclists sometimes complain that their 
tyres have not lasted quite so long a time as they 
expected; this is probably due to insufficient 
inflation, or not paying sufficient attention to the 
minor details. Novices will often cycle with their 
tyres nearly flat, and when the machine is ridden 
over a stone the jerk causes the rim to touch the 
road and nip the tyre. Even a short distance 
should never be undertaken without the tyres being 
properly inflated. The harder the tyre is inflated 
the narrower is the surface of the tread exposed to 
the wear and tear of the road. A little extra exer¬ 
tion when inflating is quickly repaid when mo anted 
on the machine, by being able to cycle with a greater 
speed and much more comfort. If a pressure gauge 
is used, 25 to 30 lb. to the square inch will be found 
to give good results. When a pressure gauge is 
not obtainable, a good plan to see if the tyre is suffi¬ 
ciently inflated is: grasp the rim with the lingers 
and press with the two thumbs, and if only a slight 
impression can be made, the tyre is in a fit condition 
for riding. As a rule, it is not necessary to inflate 
the front tyre quite so hard as the back one, unless 
any heavy weight is carried on a front carrier. The 
rider’s weight when mounted should just cause the 
tyres to bulge slightly where they touch the road. 
It is advisable when cycling on greasy roads not 


TYRE REPAIRING 


57 


to inflate the tyres quite so hard, as the risks of 
sideslips are considerably reduced. Before repairs 
of any description can be undertaken to cycle tyres 
a repair outfit will be required. Suitable outfits 
can be purchased from any cycle outfitter or re¬ 
pairer for about 4 d. or 6 d. Each outfit should 
contain a tube of rubber solution, a piece of sheet 
rubber for patching, a quantity of small circular 
rubber patches, French chalk, glass paper and valve 
rubber, generally to be found in the box containing 
the French chalk, and canvas for repairing small 
cuts and gashes in the cover. These outfits are 
usually unsatisfactory in quantity from the pur¬ 
chaser’s point of view, and a far cheaper plan is to 
purchase each article separately; a larger quantity 
can thus be obtained. 

Old inner tubes make excellent patching rubber. 
Always choose the darker side when using. 

A few readers would no doubt like to make their 
own rubber solution, as it is quite a simple matter. 
Cut 1 oz. of best Para rubber into very thin shavings 
with a sharp knife (it is advisable to dip the knife 
in water), place the shavings in a jar with a close- 
fitting lid and cover with benzine. The rubber will 
absorb most of the benzine by the following day. 
Continue to add benzine day by day, until a fluid 
resembling treacle is obtained. A T oz. of Para 
rubber should take about 8 oz. by measure of ben¬ 
zine. To test solution to see if it is of a good quality, 
place a little between the fingers, and if it will 
stretch more than 12 in. it is thoroughly reliable. 


58 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

It will be advisable to leave the repair outfit at 
home and carry a new one in the tool bag, if it 
should be more than twelve months old, as rubber 
solution and patches often deteriorate with age. 

As the Dunlop valve (Figs. 32 to 35) is the most 



generally used, a brief description of it will be given. 
A is the body of the valve, B is the plug which has 
a rubber sheath fitted over it, C is the shoulder 
nut which screws on to the body A, and keeps the 
plug B in position, I) is the body nut which fastens 
the body A to the rim, E is the dust cap, F is the 
nut which pinches the lipped plate G and the air 
tube together. Often the cause of a tyre leaking 
is the valve rubber perishing, and this should be 
tested before removing the cover to look for a punc¬ 
ture. If the repair is undertaken at home, the best 









TYRE REPAIRING 


59 


method of testing the valve to see whether it is the 
cause of the leakage is to inflate the tyre very hard 
and then procure an eggcup and half fill it with 
water and place the valve in the water ; if small 
bubbles ooze from the valve to the surface of the 
water it is evident that new valve rubber is required. 
Unscrew the body nut and take the stem out, re¬ 
move the old rubber, then rub the stem with a piece 
of soap; this enables a piece of rubber to be slipped 
on the stem without any difficulty. Replace the 
body nut and screw it up tight with the fingers. 

If after examination it is found that it is not the 
valve that is the cause of the leakage, the machine 
should be so held that the back or front wheel, 
whichever is to be examined, will revolve without 
touching the ground, to enable the rider to see 
whether there are any flints embedded in the cover. 
Should there be any, they will probably be em¬ 
bedded so deep that it will be impossible to remove 
same without the aid of a pocket-knife. 

Mark the cover with an indelible pencil, or count 
so many spokes away from the valve, then remove 
the lamp and turn the machine upside down, so 
that it rests on the saddle and handlebars. If the 
back tyre is to be repaired, see that the machine 
is so placed that the cover can be removed on the 
opposite side to the chain-wheel. To detach a 
beaded cover from the rim, remove the valve plug 
and unscrew the bottom milled nut, then push the 
narrow beaded edge into the bed of the rim, place 
the fingers underneath and lift the cover over the 


6 o 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


edge of the rim. The inner tube will now be ex¬ 
posed and can be easily taken out. It is quite a 
simple matter to remove a wired cover, providing 
that it is undertaken in a proper way. Deflate 
the tube and press the cover into the bed of the 
rim, opposite the valve, with the fingers, and gradu¬ 
ally slide them round towards the valve. This 
will cause the cover to loop up above the rim at the 
valve ; place the fingers underneath this part and 
lift the cover over the edge of the rim, then slide 
the fingers round the cover. If any difficulty is 
encountered in removing the cover with the fingers, 
a pair of tyre levers should be employed. The 
“One Minute Tyre Lever’’ will be found to give 
every satisfaction. Care must be taken when using 
these levers, as careless manipulation will result 
in tearing the tube. Insert both levers in the rim 
under the wire about 6 in. apart and pull down¬ 
wards, then grasp the portion of the tyre that is 
removed from the rim and pull towards the hub. 

When the tube has been removed readjust the 
valve and inflate slightly until the tube assumes a 
circular shape. First of all examine the tube round 
about where the cover was marked when removing 
the flint. If the trouble does not lie in that par¬ 
ticular place, feel round the cover, inside, for any 
sharp flints projecting through. Should this not 
locate the puncture, hold it as near as possible to 
the face and stretch in short lengths until an escape 
of air is felt, or immerse the tube in water until a 
stream of bubbles indicates the locality of the punc- 


TYRE REPAIRING 


6l 


ture. Mark the spot where the bubbles occur with 
an indelible pencil and proceed to remove, with a 
piece of glass paper or with the moistened head of 
an ordinary lucifer match, the grey coating of sul¬ 
phur on the surface. When thoroughly clean, coat 
round the puncture with good rubber solution, 
select a patch from the outfit box and coat this 
with solution. Lay both aside for a period of 
about ten minutes to get thoroughly “ tacky,” then 
carefully place the patch over the puncture and 
press well together until the patch adheres. If 
there is more than one puncture to repair, and it 
is desired to save time, the patch can be held down 
by placing a penny upon it and one on the other 
side of the tube ; these should then be gripped 
together with a screw-hammer. This will enable 
the other repair to be accomplished while the patch 
is sticking. 

The tube should be sprinkled freely with French 
chalk to prevent it adhering to the inside of the 
cover when inflated. 

Before replacing the tube in the cover, make sure 
that it is not damp, as it can be replaced much 
easier dry and will not cause the fabric to rot, as 
otherwise would be the case. 

With a beaded cover, make sure that the valve 
hole in the beaded edge is exactly over the hole in 
the rim, then place the valve through it and slip 
the tube under the cover. See that the tube is not 
stretched or bulged in any place. Press the beaded 
edge over and under the inturned edge of the rim 


62 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


if the beading is a little stiff and obstinate, bang 
the cover with the palm of the hand. When inflat¬ 
ing, glance round the rim and make sure that the 
beading is still securely embedded, otherwise a 
nasty burst in the tube may result. 

With a wired edge cover, replace the tube in the 
same way as described for a beaded tyre. Slip the 
wired edge over the rim with the lingers as far as 
possible, then press the two thumbs in between the 
cover and the rim, opposite the wired edge remain¬ 
ing over, and slide them in opposite directions 
round the rim as far as possible. This will enable 
a portion of the wired edge to be pressed over the 
edge of the rim. Continual sliding and pressing 
will gradually force the remaining portion into the 
bed of the rim. To replace with tyre levers, pro¬ 
ceed as before as far as possible with the fingers, 
then take two of the tyre levers and place them 
under the wired edge of the cover (be careful to see 
that the tube is not nipped) and pull the levers 
upwards. 

Tubes will sometimes leak and yet not reveal 
themselves when stretched and placed under water ; 
a tube in this condition is really more bother than 
it is worth. A self-sealing puncture solution may 
be tried, but it is better to purchase a new tube. 

Large gashes or bursts are much more difficult 
to repair, as the patch will, after a time, generally 
be found to lift and leak. Clean the tube round the 
burst and also the edges, with special care, then cut 
a patch about i in. longer than the burst and thor- 


TYRE REPAIRING 


63 


oughly clean this. Roll the patch up and insert 
it inside the tube, and then smear some rubber solu¬ 
tion on it. Now cut another patch the same size ; 
then clean and solution the patch and the tube, 
and when “tacky’’ apply the patch and press 
together. To prevent the edges of the patch curl¬ 
ing backwards, the tube should be placed between 
two pieces of wood and held together with a screw- 
hammer, as in Fig. 36. The length of the pieces 



Fig. 36. 


of wood will depend on the size of the burst that 
is being repaired, but they should be about 2 in. 
wide. 

It often happens that a number of punctures 
occur round the valve, or the valve seating leaks a 
little, and when a tube is in this condition it will 
be advisable to remove the valve to a better position 
in the tube. 

The valve seating and patches may easily be 
removed if a little benzine is applied before pulling 
them apart. The late valve hole and punctures 






64 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

should be repaired with a large patch. The posi¬ 
tion for the new valve should next be chosen. Thor¬ 
oughly clean the selected place and cut and clean 
an oval patch about 3 in. by 2 in. 

A small hole (about an eighth of an inch in 
diameter) should be cut in the centre of the patch 
and also in the tube. Solution the patch to the tube, 
but be sure that the hole in the tube is directly under¬ 
neath the hole in the patch before pressing together. 
Slightly wet the valve body and insert in the hole, 
place the metal washer and the nut on the body 



Fig. 37. 


and screw up tightly so as to make the joint air¬ 
tight. The nut F (Fig. 34) working loose is often 
the cause of a puzzling leakage. 

Repairing a defective joint will next be described. 
This can be made quite a simple repair if it is under¬ 
taken in a proper workmanlike manner. First undo 
the joint by applying a brush dipped in benzine, 
keeping the tube slightly stretched until it parts. 
Turn one end back about 4 in. and place a cylin¬ 
drical object, such as a piece of broom handle, or 
a carbide refill tin, in the turned back end, as in 
Fig. 37. Draw the other end over the tube about 







TYRE REPAIRING 


65 


2 in., but be sure and see that the tube is not twisted. 
Now carefully clean both ends of the tube with 
glass paper, or benzine, and coat with solution; 
when " tacky ” turn the end back over the tube. 
This must be accomplished with extreme care, other¬ 
wise the end of the tube will pucker up in small 
ridges. When the solution is dry, remove the 
support and pull the tube out straight; an airtight 
joint should be the result. 

Renovating an outer cover is somewhat a more 
difficult matter. Firstly the cover should be ex¬ 
amined for flints embedded in the tread; these 
should be removed and filled in with a tyre stop¬ 
ping. If the cuts are very small, they should be 
cleaned and pressed together after squeezing a little 
rubber solution into them. A good tyre stopping 
can very easily be made by powdering a piece of 
leather with a rasp and then mixing with rubber 
solution. 

A little cotton wool soaked in rubber solution 
will also be found to make an excellent tyre stop¬ 
ping. Press the cotton wool with a match stick, 
or any suitable object, into the cut. 

It may be necessary to repair the cuts from the 
inside of the cover by strengthening the canvas 
with a patch. Thoroughly clean the canvas and 
the cover, and apply the rubber solution ; it will 
be found to dry a little quicker on the canvas than 
when applied to rubber, so less time should be given 
for drying. Apply the patch parallel to the edge 
of the cover, and press together, making sure 

E 


66 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


that the edges adhere properly, then give a sprink¬ 
ling of French chalk. 

A burst to an outer cover is still a more difficult 
repair to undertake, and one that requires plenty 
of time and patience. A piece of canvas should 
be solutioned right over the damaged portion of 
the fabric, then cut a piece of rubber the size of the 
hole in the tread and smear with solution, lay aside 
to get “ tacky ” while the cut is being attended to. 
Well clean the frayed edges and cover with solution, 
then carefully place the rubber in position and 
place together. If there has been any mis judg¬ 
ment in cutting the rubber, it may be necessary to 
fill in between the edges of the patch and the tread 
with a tyre stopping. Another excellent way of 
dealing with such cases is to cut out a piece of an 
old outer cover; 4 in. will be sufficient for a hole 
about the size of a halfpenny. Place this inside 
the tread and mark exactly the size of the burst on 
the old cover, through the hole on the outside. Now 
take a penknife with a sharp point and cut over 
the marks previously made, taking care not to cut 
into the fabric underneath. Apply a little benzine 
to the patch between the rubber and the fabric 
and peel with the thumb nails towards the centre, 
so as to leave a patch similar to Fig. 38. Affix in 
the same manner as described above. This repair 
when finished will look exceedingly neat and be 
very strong. For speedy repairs, such as one en¬ 
counters on a country road, a good plan is to carry 
a small repair band, such as the “ S.F,” in the 


TYRE REPAIRING 


67 


saddle bag. These bands save a great deal of time, 
as it is not necessary to use any solution when fit¬ 
ting. Place one end of the patch between the tyre 
and the rim, then stretch it tightly over the tyre 
and tuck the other end in, in a similar way. When 
the tyre is pumped up, the band will fit tightly to 
the cover. 

With a little careful renovating an outer cover 
can often be made to last another season’s riding. 
The tread may be so far worn as to render it practi- 



Fig. 38. 


cally useless, but if it should have a good lining, 
the addition of a rubber band will remedy this 
defect. There are numerous bands sold for this 
purpose, such as the Dunlop, Smith’s, Le Paris, etc., 
which will be found to give every satisfaction ; 
they can be obtained from half a crown upwards, 
according to the width and thickness. The only 
satisfactory way of fixing these bands is by vulcan¬ 
izing, and it is impossible for the amateur to under¬ 
take this, as a special plant is necessary. A cycle 




68 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


repairer will charge from two or three shillings for 
vulcanizing a band to the tread. A band can be 
attached by means of solution, but it is liable to 
come apart after a little riding. There are two 
kinds of bands made for this purpose, the “ endless ” 
and the “ plain strip ” ; the latter should be selected, 
as it will be found much easier to fix. A £ lb. 
tin of solution will be found sufficient for two 
bands. Turn the machine upside down, and in¬ 
flate the tyre to be repaired very hard; give the 
cover a good brushing with a stiff brush to remove 
all dirt, etc. Roughen the tread with a file, or very 
coarse glass paper, No. 3, wipe the cover round 
with a rag and draw two indelible pencil marks 
round the cover to act as guide lines when fixing the 
band. Apply a good coat of solution to the tread 
with a small brush ; it will be found that the solu¬ 
tion can be applied much better with a brush than 
with the fingers, besides keeping the hands clean. 
While the solution is getting “ tacky ” the band 
can be taken in hand. Lay it out flat on a long 
plank, or the kitchen table will answer admirably ; 
if the table is to be used, it will be as well to spread 
a few newspapers out so as to keep the table clean. 
Thoroughly clean the band and then cut one end of 
it on the slant, as A in Fig. 39. Then apply the solu¬ 
tion, taking extretre care with the edges. The tread 
shou'd now be sufficiently “ tacky ” for applying the 
second coat, this should be applied very lightly or 
the first coating will be disturbed. Give the solution 
plenty of time to get “ tacky ”—this is where ama- 


TYKE REPAIRING 


69 

teurs usually make the mistake ; an hour or two 
will be sufficient. Roll the band up as in Fig. 39 
and lay the end on the tread between the pencil 
marks and gradually unroll. 

Press from the centre to the edges so that no air- 
bubbles appear. When only about 6 in. of the 
tread remain to be covered up, note whether the 
band will make a neat joint when placed together. 
Should the band be too long, it must be cut to the 



Fig. 39. 


required length. Cut the edge on the slant, revers¬ 
ing the cut this time, and well solution the edge and 
press together. Turn the wheel round and see if 
the band is showing any signs of lifting; should 
there be any such places, press them well down. 
When the machine is not urgently needed, it will 
be better to let it stand for a day or two, to enable 
the solution to get properly set. 

The methods of fixing a puncture proof band or 
a canvas lining to an outer cover is nearly the same 








7 (> 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


as described above, the only difference being in the 
joint. They can either be lapped over each other, 
or the two ends may be cut at an angle. When 
fixing, see that the end of the band commences in 
the soundest part of the fabric so as to prevent two 
weak places coming together. 

Sprinkle the inside of the cover freely with French 
chalk before replacing the tube, otherwise it will be 
found that the tube has stuck to it the next time 
the cover is removed. 

A simple device that will prevent many punctures 



Fig. 40. 


can be very easily made. Fix a pair of brake clips 
to the front forks and the back stays of the machine, 
and fasten a piece of wire from one clip to the other, 
as in Fig. 40. The wire should be fastened about 
one-eighth of an inch from the tread of the cover. 
This will effectively remove all puncturing materials 
as the wheel revolves. 

A simple yet thoroughly effective method of 
dealing with small cuts in a cover is to use a “ Samp¬ 
son ” outer cover repair plug. The repair is so 
simple that it can be fitted and the tyre replaced 
in a few minutes. A complete plug is shown in 







TYKE REPAIRING 


71 


Fig. 41. The washer is first unscrewed from the 
plug, then remove the cover, and insert the plug 



Fig. 41. 

from the inside through the hole or burst as in Fig. 
42. Replace the washer and screw it down tightly 
against the surface of the cover. 

Slip the cover back, and inflate the tube ; the 



washer is finally tightened by turning the wire to 
the left until it is embedded in the tread. The wire 



72 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


should then be notched with a file, as close as pos¬ 
sible to the cover, and bent backwards and forwards 
until it snaps. The cover shown in Fig. 43 indi¬ 
cates the repair completed, and it must be admitted 
that it is very neat in appearance. It is claimed 
by the manufacturers, Messrs. Brown Brothers, 
Ltd., to make a neat and permanent repair equal 
to vulcanizing. 

These plugs are supplied by cycle agents at four- 
pence each. 



Fig. 43. 


The repairing of tubular tyres, to the novice, is 
a little more difficult than those described above, 
but these difficulties are quickly overcome after a 
little practice ; all that is necessary is a little time 
and patience. When a puncture is detected it 
should be repaired instantly, unless a spare tyre 
is carried on the machine, in which case the punc¬ 
tured tyre should be removed from the rim and the 
spare one substituted. The simplest way of find¬ 
ing a puncture is to inflate the tyre hard, and if the 
air cannot be detected escaping dip the tyre, while 



TYRE REPAIRING 


73 


on the rim, in water so that it just touches the rim ; 
special care should be taken that not more than the 
■edge of the rim is dipped in the water. Another 
method of locating a puncture is to wipe round 
the tyre with a wet or soapy rag, the puncture will 
be revealed by small air bubbles appearing on the 
surface of the cover; where these bubbles occur, the 
tyre should be marked with an indelible pencil. 
Remove about 18 in. of the tyre round about the 
puncture with a sideways pull, and part the fabric 
in the base between the tapes, taking special care 



not to damage the threads. The Hubbard Tyre 
Co. supply a handy tube extractor (Fig. 44) for one 
penny. 

The inner tube should now be pulled out about 
12 in.; pull carefully from side to side, as if pulled 
straight up it will bind against the threads at the 
opening. Lightly inflate the tube and hold it close 
to the face until the escape of air is felt. Clean 
the rubber surrounding the puncture thoroughly 
with a piece of glass paper and cover with solution, 
then immediately apply a prepared patch. A 
packet containing six of these prepared patches 


74 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


can be obtained for one penny from the above firm. 
If the fabric should be cut so that the tube is liable 
to blow through, when inflated, a small canvas 
patch can be drawn up by a thread passed through 
the opening where the tube is pulled out, and 
through the damaged place ; the thread should not 
be removed until the tyre is inflated on the rim. 
Sprinkle the tube liberally with French chalk and 
then replace. Apply a thin coat of solution to the 
rim to prevent creeping. 

Where a large cut occurs, which necessitates the 
fabric being repaired, it will be better to have the 
tyre thoroughly repaired, and it should be sent to 
one of the firms who make a speciality of tyre 
repairing. 


CHAPTER VI 


CYCLE ENAMELLING 

Spring time is the time when the majority of cyclists 
desire to improve the appearance of their machines. 
Probably the machine has been in use all through 
the late winter or it may have been stored away 
in some attic or lumber room and is covered with 
dirt or dust. You gaze with some misgivings at 
the machine and envy your more fortunate brother 
with his new model straight from the manufac¬ 
turers with the enamel and plating all shining 
brightly as if trying to excel the anticipated bright 
and sunny days. 

The word enamelling as applied to cycles is in¬ 
correct. Cycle enamel has no vitreous founda¬ 
tion, which is essential for enamelling, though the 
word enamelling is largely used in the trade, and 
is used throughout this book. It really should be 
termed “ Japanning.” 

After cleaning the cycle it may be decided to 
have it re-enamelled. The question then arises: 
is the machine worth the expense of having it pro¬ 
perly stove enamelled or just simply done with an 
air drying enamel ? Very satisfactory results can 
be obtained with a good air drying enamel, though. 


76 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

of course, not so good as if done by a cycle ena- 
meller. 

Should the decision fall with the stove enamel 
the machine can be taken round bodily to the 
nearest cycle repairers. There will be a consider¬ 
able saving in the cost if the machine is sent stripped 
of all fittings and with the old enamel entirely 
removed. 

This will of course depend on the state of the 
purse and whether the reader is energetically in¬ 
clined ; but he will have the satisfaction of know¬ 
ing that the work has been properly done. 

Probably some of the fittings will require re-plat¬ 
ing ; this is a job that the amateur cannot under¬ 
take, as an expensive apparatus is required, so the 
work must be entrusted to a nickel plater. There 
is no need to worry about cleaning the parts to be 
replated, as they will be properly prepared at the 
platers. Should the hubs require plating it will 
be necessary to cut the spokes out with a pair of 
wire-cutters. Do not be afraid of spoiling the 
spokes, as it is inadvisable to use them again. If 
it is possible to make do with polishing the hubs, 
it is advisable to do so, as not only will there be 
the expense of re-plating the hubs, but also for 
rebuilding the wheels with new spokes and nipples. 
If the rust on the plating has not been left too long 
unattended it can sometimes be removed by rub¬ 
bing sweet oil into it, allowing it to stand for a day 
or two and then rubbing briskly off. 

Before sending the parts to be plated ‘make two 


CYCLE ENAMELLING 


77 


complete lists of the various fittings, such as one 
pair of handles, chainwheel and cranks, two pedals, 
one headlock and so many nuts, bolts, etc. 

Send one list with the fittings and keep the other 
list to check them when returned. As an additional 
safeguard, the signature of the cycle repairer can 
be obtained. The frame can now be taken in hand. 
The best way of removing the enamel is to prepare 
a strong solution of potash water, made by dissolv¬ 
ing a pennyworth of potash in boiling water; and 
the solution should be applied by means of an old 
brush. Go over the tubes and scrape with a blunt 
knife ; a putty knife will answer the purpose admir¬ 
ably. This will no doubt be found rather a tedious 
job. When all the enamel is removed finish off 
with strips of very coarse emery cloth about i in. 
wide ; this width will be found convenient for get¬ 
ting round the lugs. Finally polish off with No. O. 

The better the surface is prepared to receive the 
enamel, the more satisfactory it will look, as the 
enamel cannot be properly applied to a scratchy 
surface. Any dents that may be in the frame 
should be filled in with plaster-of-paris. The frame 
is now ready to send to the enamellers, or if it is to 
be enamelled at home, wipe it over with a clean rag 
dipped in turpentine. After this do not handle 
the frame. Should it be necessary to shift the 
frame, drive some pieces of wood into the down 
tube, head, and through the bottom bracket. 

The penny brushes sold for the purpose of ena¬ 
melling are hardly suitable ; a good flat camel 


7 8 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


hair brush about i in. wide, as shown in Fig. 45, 
should be obtained ; one can be purchased for about 
sixpence. 


Probably the kitchen will be the 
best room to undertake the enamel¬ 
ling, but the user should use a little 
discretion. To obtain good results it 
is necessary that the room be fairly 
warm and free from dust and draught. 

There are many good air drying 
enamels stocked by cycle repairers, 
of which the Chez Lui, Club Black 
and the R.M. enamel may be men¬ 
tioned. Either of these will give very 
satisfactory results. 

A little of the enamel should be 
poured out into a tin as required for 
use. The tin must be thoroughly clean. 
Now with long steady strokes, keeping 
the brush in the same direction, give 
the frame a good coat of enamel. See 
that there is not too much enamel on 
the brush, otherwise it will run and 
look uneven. Allow plenty of time 
for the first coat to get thoroughly 
dry before applying the second coat. 
About twelve hours should prove 
sufficient. Dust the frame over with 
a clean rag and then give the final coat of enamel. 

If the make of the machine is known try to obtain 
two transfers from the manufacturers, one for fixing 


Fig. 45. 




























CYCLE ENAMELLING 


79 


on the head and the other on the down tube. This 
will increase the selling value of the machine if at 
any time it is desired to dispose of it, as people are 
rather sceptical about purchasing a machine of 
which the maker is unknown. 

To affix a transfer, cover it over with a thin coat 
of gold size and allow this to get properly “ tacky.’' 
When “tacky” place it in position on the frame 
and press down, working from the centre so as to 
dislodge all air bubbles and rub carefully with a 
duster. Now moisten with a sponge dipped in hot 
water and press gently with the duster, then damp 
again with the sponge and peel the paper gradually 
off. When the gold size is thoroughly dry it should 
be varnished over. 

The amateur should never attempt to line a frame, 
as it requires a considerable amount of practice 
and skill. Nothing tends more to spoil the appear¬ 
ance of a frame than bad lining. 

If desired, a thin coat of best oak varnish can be 
applied ; this will make the work more durable. 

The wheels should next receive attention. Well 
rub the spokes with a piece of emery cloth, and if 
the inside of the rim is rusty this should be treated 
likewise. 

When enamelling wheels a stand of some de¬ 
scription will be required, or they can be placed in 
the frame turned upside down ; if the frame is used 
the wheels should be treated first. 

A rough stand can easily be made as follows. 
First obtain two pieces of wood about 24 in. long 


8o 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


by 2 in. wide. Cut a groove \ in. wide and \ in. 
deep in both ends of the pieces of wood, as in Fig. 
46. This is for the spindle to rest in. Screw these 
to another piece of wood, so that they are about 
4 in. apart. The stand can either be clamped 
to the table or screwed to the bench, i 

The spokes should only receive one coat of enamel, 



otherwise they will have a thick clumsy appearance. 
First do the inside of the spokes, working downwards 
from the hub ; this will prevent the enamel run¬ 
ning down the spokes and on to the hub. Then in 
the same way treat the outside of the spokes. 

The rim should receive two or even three coats of 
enamel, especially if rim brakes are fitted to the 






















CYCLE ENAMELLING 


8l 


machine. If the inside of the rim is also well ena¬ 
melled it will prevent any rust forming, which is 
fatal to the tyres. 

After a time, plated rims frequently rust round 
the edges, which are very difficult to keep clean 
without removing the tyres. This can easily be 
remedied by enamelling the edges of the rim ; if 
this is carefully done a fairly straight line can be 
obtained which will improve the appearance of the 
wheel. 

Rims treated with aluminium paint look very 
well when revolving, but when stationary have a 
dead appearance, which has not the slightest resem¬ 
blance to plating. It looks rather ridiculous to 
enamel the rims in imitation of wood, unless they 
are the hollow type. With this pattern a very 
close resemblance can be obtained. 

When the enamel is only chipped in places, there 
is no need to re-enamel properly, as it can be satis¬ 
factorily touched up. 

The fittings should next be placed in position; 
make sure that the tyres do not require attention 
before replacing. Do not forget that all ball bear¬ 
ings should be put back with vaseline. 

When all the fittings have been carefully adjusted, 
the frame should be polished with a soft rag, prefer¬ 
ably a piece of silk from an old umbrella, and a little 
sweet oil. 




CHAPTER VII 


THE CARE OF THE LAMP 

Cyclists have the choice of four different kinds of 
illuminants : oil, acetylene, candle and electric. 

The oil lamp is probably the most popular, and 
the acetylene lamp is a good second. Candle and 
electric lamps have very few supporters at the 
present time, though perhaps the electric lamp in 
a few years will be the most generally used. 

The chief drawback in using an oil lamp is its 
inferior light as compared with an acetylene lamp ; 
but looking at it from an economical point of view 
the oil is cheaper. Then again, should the oil burn 
out before the end of the journey a fresh supply 
can be purchased at any village, or a supply of par¬ 
affin, enough to finish the journey, can be obtained 
from nearly any cottage, where with an acetylene 
lamp a long weary walk may be encountered before 
a fresh supply of calcium carbide can be obtained. 
As regards cleanliness, both have disadvantages, 
though the oil lamp is more easily cleaned. The 
difference in weight is only a trifle, the acetylene 
lamp weighing a few ounces more than the average 
oil lamp. Hardly anybody cycling for pleasure 
will object to carrying the additional weight. 

,, 82 


THE CARE OF THE LAMP 


$3 

Sufficient has been said on the advantages and 
disadvantages of the oil and the acetylene lamp, 
and it is left to the discretion of the reader to make 
his own selection. 

The position of the lamp on the machine is a very 
important detail, which does not appear to be under¬ 
stood by a large number of riders. One often sees 
the lamp placed in such a position that it appears 
to be trying to illuminate the heavens or else point¬ 
ing down towards the road. The lamp should be 
quite parallel with the road, as C in Fig. 47, or other- 



Fig. 47. Fig. 48. Fig. 49. 


wise smoked glasses and reflectors will be the result, 
as with Fig. 48 and Fig. 49. Then again, should 
the oil reservoir contain too much oil, there is always 
the danger of it running out on the tyre. 

The head of the machine is the best position for 
the lamp, for when it is placed on the forks it gener¬ 
ally gets smothered with mud and so produces an 
inferior light. When a new wick is fitted to an oil 
lamp it is a good plan to soak it in vinegar, but 
before placing in the burner, make sure that it is 
thoroughly dry. The wick should not fit too tightly 
in the burner ; one a size smaller is often used. 













84 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

The trimming of wicks incorrectly is often the cause 
of an inferior light. The wick is generally cut 
straight across, which causes a pointed flame, that 
smokes terribly and soon chokes the ventilator 
holes up. If the wick is cut so that the middle is 
lower than the two outside edges, semi-circular 
shape, a better flame will be obtained. A glance at 
Fig. 50 will make this clear. 

A splendid burning oil can be made by mixing 
equal parts of colza oil and paraffin oil together. 



A small piece of camphor should be added; this 
will be found to increase the brilliancy of the light. 
When paraffin oil only is used, a quantity of cotton 
wool should be placed in the reservoir. 

The lamp should often be thoroughly cleaned. 
Scrape away any soot which may have accumulated 
at the top of the lamp and clean out all the ventila¬ 
tion holes if they are choked up. This can easily 
be accomplished by passing a pin through the holes. 

After cleaning the reflector, it is a good plan to 
smear it over with a little vaseline ; this will prevent 



















THE CARE OF THE LAMP 


85 


the plating on the reflector being damaged if it 
should get smoked, besides facilitating easy clean¬ 
ing. 

When purchasing an acetylene lamp it is advis¬ 
able to pay a little extra money and so secure a 
lamp that can absolutely be depended upon, as the 
cheap ones usually go wrong when they are most 
needed. There are many cheap foreign made lamps 
now upon the market costing about 2s., and their 
appearance is very nice in the shop window with the 
plating shining brightly ; but should any spare parts 
be required, as assuredly they will after a little use, 
it is found that either the part cannot be obtained 
or else an exorbitant price is charged. Another 
fault is that they are made so that very few of the 
parts can be taken to pieces, which makes cleaning 
extremely difficult. So make sure that a lamp of a 
reputable maker is selected, and those made by 
Messrs. J. Lucas, Ltd., of Birmingham, will be 
found to give every satisfaction. 

The management of these lamps is a simple mat¬ 
ter. First fill the water reservoir through the water 
plug hole and turn on the valve. The water should 
drip regularly and not too quickly, and when satis¬ 
fied with the flow of water glance at the scale and 
note the position of the thumb screw of the valve 
for future guidance. Place a little calcium carbide 
in the container, but do not quite fill it, as room 
must be allowed for it to expand. When filling 
be careful that no carbide gets into the central 
tube ; the best way to prevent this is to place the 


86 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


thumb over the tube. Screw on the carbide con¬ 
tainer tightly to the lamp, turn the water valve 
slowly on, and in about a minute, or two, sufficient 
gas will be generated to produce a light. When 
the light flares away, slightly reduce the supply of 
water, and vice versa for a small flame. Gas must 
not be generated too quickly ; it is quickly notice¬ 
able if this is so, owing to the escape of gas smelling 
horribly. 

The lamp can be used economically by reducing 
the flow of water when stopping for a few minutes, 
or when taking it easy walking up a long hill. Should 
only a little of the carbide be used, the remainder 
can be used again for a day or so ; but it is advisable 
if a long ride is contemplated to throw the old car¬ 
bide away and recharge with a fresh supply, as the 
supply left in the container is very uncertain. A 
light should never be allowed to burn itself out, 
otherwise the top of the burner will carbonize. 
Turn off the water supply and blow the light out. 
Of course an escape of gas, already generated, will 
take place, so remove the lamp outside the house, 
as the other inmates will probably object to the 
smell. 

When the supply of gas is exhausted, take the 
first opportunity of removing the carbide container 
and scraping out the lime residue on to a piece of 
paper, as it is then easily rolled up and thrown away. 
People who leave their lamps uncleaned for three 
or four days often wonder why it is so difficult to 
clean. This would not have been the case had it 


THE CARE OF THE LAMP 8/ 

been attended to before, as the lime residue quickly 
sets very hard. 

The burners should be cleaned by passing a fine 
wire through the holes and blowing through them 
with the mouth. Suitable wires for cleaning 
burners (Fig. 51) can be obtained cheaply. The 
use of metal burners is not recommended. 

In frosty weather the water in the reservoir is 
very liable to freeze, so to prevent anything of this 
kind happening it is a good plan to empty the reser- 




Fig. 51. 


voir of water when the lamp is not required. When 
it is thought unwise to do this on account of the 
difficulty of obtaining a fresh supply of water, a 
quantity of salt added to the water will overcome 
this to a certain extent. There is a disadvantage, 
however, in using a salt solution, owing to the fact 
that it tends to corrode the metal. 

It is necessary occasionally to renew the filtering 
material. Readers, who have not yet used carbide 
blocks, will be well advised to give them a trial. 














88 


CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 


These blocks cost i\d. and give about three hours’ 
continuous light, which works out just a trifle dearer 
than using the loose carbide. They are extremely 
handy, as they can be carried loosely in the pocket, 
or tool-bag, without any danger, and do not deteri¬ 
orate by being kept. The chief advantage in 
using these blocks is their cleanliness, for as soon as 
they are exhausted they can be thrown away, leav¬ 
ing the carbide container clean, which, all users of 
acetylene lamps will readily agree, is a great advan¬ 
tage. They can also be fitted more quickly than 
the loose carbide, but if objected to, and a light is 
required for a longer period than the supply of car¬ 
bide in the container will give, spare carbide must 
be carried in an airtight box. It may be stated 
here, for the guidance of readers who purchase their 
accessories through the post, that carbide cannot 
be sent by post. 

Every cyclist who uses his machine at night time 
will be well advised to have a rear light, of some 
description, fitted to the machine, as by so doing 
it will reduce the chance to a minimum of being 
overtaken and run down by a motor-car. Many 
lamps, such as Fig. 52, have a side attachment 
fitted with a ruby glass at the back for showing a 
rear light. A lamp so fitted certainly has its for¬ 
ward light reduced, but it saves the cost of keeping 
two lamps burning. The best way of meeting this 
difficulty is to have a reflex lens fitted (Fig. 53). 
This is also by far the cheaper way of safeguarding 
oneself, as there is only the outlay of half a crown. 


THE CARE OF THE LAMP 


89 


No illuminant is required and it is no trouble to 
maintain, yet a perfect rear light is always available, 
as the rays of the lights on an overtaking motor-car 
are reflected to such an extent as to reveal the posi¬ 
tion of the cyclist. They are usually attached to 
the right stay of the frame. 

Electricity as an illuminant for cycles has not 
been very popular with the cycling fraternity. In 
the last few years it has been struggling for popu- 



Fig. 52. 


Fig. 53. 


larity, but partly owing to the unsatisfactory re¬ 
sults obtained in the past and the rather high prices 
charged for the lamps, it is still regarded as quite a 
rarity on the road. The light for these lamps is 
either produced from current supplied from a 
dynamo, battery or an accumulator. 

The lamp shown by Fig. 54 is supplied complete 
for 23s. 6 d. by the Economic Electric Co., Twicken¬ 
ham, S.W. This may appear to be an exorbitant 
price, but it must be borne in mind that there is 
only the one outlay at the commencement. It is 
very effective, and exceedingly neat in appearance, 












mud and rain proof. The current is supplied to 
the lamp from a dynamo attached to the front 
forks of the machine, which is driven by contact 
with a metal pulley against the side of the tyre. 


90 CYCLE BUILDING AND REPAIRING 

the headlight being “ bullet shape ” and heavily 
nickel plated. The “ Pynalite ’ dynamo is made 
so that all parts exposed to the weather are dust. 


Fig. 54. 










THE CARE OF THE LAMP 


9* 


I he wear on the tyre cannot be taken into considera¬ 
tion, it is so slight. When the light is not required, 
a screw is turned causing the pulley to disengage 
from contact with the tyre. In the recent trials 
given by the writer it was noticed that objects could 
clearly be seen fifty yards away when travelling 
about ten or twelve miles an hour, and while walk¬ 
ing beside the machine at a speed not exceeding 
three miles an hour a light was thrown about twelve 



Fig. 55- 


yards ahead. So the cyclist should not have any 
fear of being deprived of a light when travelling at 
a low speed. The only disadvantage with this 
class of lamp is that it is useless when the machine is 
stationary, unless the lighting power is derived 
from a battery or an accumulator, as in Fig. 55. 
This method of lighting will be found rather more 
expensive, as the battery runs down after eight or 
ten hours’ light. A new battery can be obtained 
for ninepence ; this averages the cost of the light at 
about a penny an hour, which is very dear when 
compared with oil or acetylene. 














NOTE 


In the event of any reader experiencing a difficulty 
in obtaining the fittings locally, the writer has 
made special arrangements with a cycle factor to 
supply a cheap but thoroughly reliable set of stand¬ 
ard fittings for £3 15s. The set comprises a frame 
built with the best weldless steel tubing (sloping 
top tube if desired), nickel-plated wheels, freewheel 
(Hyde), handle bars with roller lever brakes (Phil¬ 
lips’ “Vox Populi ’’), chain wheel, cranks, pedals, 
chain (Hans Renolds’), steel mudguards, seat 
pillar, saddle (Brooks) and all necessary nuts and 
bolts. The frame can be obtained enamelled in any 
shade desired, and the fittings have a very superior 
finish. A letter addressed to the Author care of the 
Publishers will receive his attention. 


92 


93 


INDEX 


An asterisk denotes an illustrated 
A 


Acetylene Burner Cleaner, *87 

— Lamp, Advantages and 
Disadvantages of, 82 

-, Carbide Blocks for, 88 

-, Management of, 85 

-, Preventing Water Freez¬ 
ing in, 87 

-, Purchasing, 85 

Adjusting Cone for Front Hub, 
*38 

Adjustment of Wheels, Test¬ 
ing, 24 

Aluminium Rims, Advantages 
of, 12 

B 

Beaded Outer Covers, Fitting, 
61 

-, Removing, 59 

Bearings, Broken in Hub, 42 
Blocks, Brake, Adjusting, 51 
—, Carbide for Acetylene 
Lamps, 88 

Bowden Brake, Adjusting, 26 

-, Fitting, 26 

Bracket, Bottom, *19 
—, —, Adjustment of, 20 
—, —, Cleaning, 45 
—, —, Cotters, *20 
—, —, Cups, *20 
—, —, Fitting up, 19 
—, —, Spindle, *19 
Brake Blocks, Adjusting, 52 
—, Bowden, Adjusting, 26 
—, —, Fitting, 26 
—, Cables, New, Fitting, 53 
—, —, Shortening, 53 
Brakes, Choice of, 15 
—, Lubricating, 52 
—, Rim, Adjusting, 27 
—, —, Fitting, 27 
Brush for Enamelling, *78 
Building a Back Wheel, 35 

— a Front Wheel, 33 


subject. 

Burner Cleaner, Acetylene, *87 
Burning Oil, Recipe for, 84 

C 

Cables, Brake, Fitting New, 53 
—, —, Shortening, 53 
Carbide Blocks for Acetylene 
Lamps, 88 

Celluloid Chain Cover, Fitting, 
29 

— Mudguard, Broken, Re¬ 
pairing, 51 

Chain, Adjusting, 50 
—, Cleaning, 48 

— Cover, Celluloid, Fitting, 29 
—, Fitting to Machine, 49 
—, Lengthening, 49 

— Lubricant, Making, 48 

— Rivets, Tightening, 49 
—, Shortening, *49 

— Wheel, Fitting, 22 
Chains, Types of, 13 
Clutch, Freewheel, Testing, 47 
Cog, Fixed, Removing from 

Hub, 46 

Component Parts of a Cycle, *4 
Cones, Front Hub, *38 
—, Pedal, *45 
Cotter Pins, Removing, 43 
Cotters, Bottom Bracket, *19 
—, Crank, Fitting, *22 
Covers, (see Tyres) 

Crank, Bent,Straightening, *43 

— Cotters, Fitting, *22 
Cranks, Fitting, 22 
Crate for Cycle, *18 
Cups, Bottom Bracket, *20 

D 

Dents in Frame, Filling for, 77 
Detachable Inner Tubes, 14 
Drilling Rims, 33 
Dunlop Valve, *58 

-Body Nuts, *58 

-Dust Cap, *58 



INDEX 


^4 

Dunlop Valve Plug, *58 
Dust Cap for Valve, *58 
Pedal, *45 

E 

Electric Lamps, *90, *91 

— Light, Expense of, 91 
Enamel, Polishing, 81 
—, Removing from Machine, 77 
Enamelling, Brush for, *78 

— a Machine, 74 

— Wheels, 79 
-, Stand for, *79 

F 

Filling Dents in Frame, 77 
Fittings, Purchasing, 10, 92 
Fixed Cog, Removing from 
Hub, 46 

Flints in Tyres, Removing, 59 
Forks, Front, Fitting, 20 
—, —, Removing, 46 
Frame, Correct Size for Cy¬ 
clists, 11 

—, Dents in, Filling for, 77 

— Holding Device, *17 
—, Lady’s, 16 

—, Purchasing, 11 
—, Style of, 11 
Freewheel Clutch, Testing, 47 
—, Fitting, 23, 46 
—, Removing, 47 
Freezing, Preventing Water in 
Acetylene Lamps, 87 

G 

Grips, Handle-bar, Fixing, 28 
H 

Handle-bar, Fitting, 26 

— Grips, Fixing, 28 
Handle-bars, Choice of, 12 

— in Lady’s Machine, Height 
of, 29 

—, Patterns of, *12, *15 
Head.lock, *21 

— Nut, *21 

— Ring, *21 

Height of Handle-bars in 
Lady’s Machine, 29 


Hub, Adjusting Cone, *38 
, Adjustment of, 42 

— Bearings, Broken, 42 

— Cone, *38 

—, Freewheel, Fitting to, 23, 

—, —, Removing from, 47 
—, Front, *38 

— Lock Nuts, *38 

—, Removing Free-wheel from, 
47 

— Spindle, *38 

I 

Illuminants for Lamps, 82 
Inflation of Tyres, 56 
Inner Tube, Burst Repairing, 
*63 

-, Detachable, 14 

-Extractor for Tubular 

Tyres, *73 

-, Old, Using for Repair¬ 
ing, 57 

-, Re-joining, *64 

L 

Lady’s Machine, Selecting Fit¬ 
ting for, 16 

-, Height of Handle-bars 

in, 29 

Lamp, Acetylene, Advantages 
and Disadvantages of, 82 
—, —, Carbide Blocks for, 88 
—, —, Management of, 85 
—, —, Preventing Water 

Freezing in, 87 
—, —, Purchasing, 85 
—, Oil, Advantages and Dis¬ 
advantages of, 82 
—, —, Cleaning, 84 
—, —, Fitting New Wick to, 
8 3 

—, —, Trimming Wicks for, *84 

— Position, *83 
Lamps, Care of, 82 
—, Electric, *90, *91 
—, —, Expense of, 91 
—, Illuminants for, 82 



INDEX 


95 


Lamps, Rear, *88 
Leather, Saddle, Making Pli¬ 
able, 50 

Lengthening a Chain, 49 
Lubricant, Chain, Making, 48 
Lubricating Brakes, 52 

M 

Mudguard, Back, Fitting, 23 
—, Front, Fitting, 23 

— Straps, Rolling, *51 
Mudguards, Celluloid, Broken, 

Repairing, 51 
—, Choice of, 13 
—, Preventing Rattling, 31 
N 

Names of Component Parts of 
Cycle, 4 

Nickel-plated Rims, 12 
Nuts with Rounded Sides, 
Removing, 54 
—, Tightening, 53 

O 

Oil Bath Gear Case, 14 
•—, Burning, Recipe for, 84 
—, Lamp, Advantages and 
Disadvantages of, 82 

-, Cleaning, 84 

—, Fitting a New Wick, 83 
—, Trimming Wicks for, 
*84 

Outfits for Repairing Tyres, 57 
P 

Packing Machine in a Crate, 18 
Pedal Cones, *45 

— Dust Caps, *45 
Pat Trap, 13, *45 

— Spindle, *45 
Pedals, Cleaning, 44 
—, Fitting, 23 

—, Removing, 44 
—, Rubber, 13 
Plating, Removing Rust from, 
76 

Polishing Enamel, 81 
Position of Lamp, *83 
Pump Clips, Fixing, 28 


, Puncture Preventing Device, 
*70 

— Resisting Bands, Solution- 
ing to Inside of Cover, 69 
Punctures, Repairing, 60 

R 

Racing Machine, Fittings for, 

Rat Trap Pedals, 13, *45 
Rattling of Mudguards, Pre¬ 
venting, 51 
Rear Lamps, *88 
Re-joining an Inner Tube, *64 
Re-seating a Valve, 63 
Rim Tapes, 24 

Rims, Aluminium, Advantages 
of, 12 

—, Choice of, 12 
—, Drilling, 33 
—, Nickel-plated, 12 
—, Setting Out Spoke Holes, 
3 2 

Rivets, Chain, Tightening, 49 
Roadster Machine, Fittings 
for, 11 

Rubber Bands, Solutioning to 
Tread of Tyre, 67 

— Pedals, 13 
— Repair Outfits, 57 

— Solution, Applying, 68 

— —, Making, 57 

-, Testing, 57 

Rust, Removing from Plating, 

76 

S 

Saddle, Fitting, 28 

— Leather, Making Pliable, 50 
—, Lowering, 50 
—, Selecting, 13, 15 
—, Tilt of, 28, 50 
“ Sampson " Outer Cover Re¬ 
pair Plug, *71 

Seat Pillar, Fitting, 26 
Shortening a Chain, *49 
Size of Frame for Cyclists, 11 
Solution, Rubber, Applying, 68 




96 INDEX 


Solution, Rubber, Making, 57 
—, —, Testing, 57 
Solutioning Puncture-resisting 
Bands to Cover, 68 
Spanners, Using, 53 
Spindle, Bottom Bracket, *19 
—, Front Hub, *38 
—, Pedal, 45 

Spoke Holes, Setting Out in 
Rim, 32 

Spokes, Broken, Replacing, 41 
—, Double-Butted, *31 
—, Plain, *31 

—, Protruding, Filing Down, 

23 

—, Purchasing, 32 
— for Wheel Building, 12, *31 
Steering Head, *21 

-, Adjustment of, 21 

-, Front Forks, *21 

-, Headlock Nut, *21 

-, — Ring, *2i 

Stopping for Outer Covers, 
Making, 65 

Straps, Mudguard, Rolling, 

*51 

T 

Tapes, Rim, 24 
Three-speed Hub, 14, 47 
Tilt of Saddle, Altering, 50 
Tools for Cycle Building, 9 
“ Track ” of Wheels, Testing, 
26 

Transfers, Fixing to Machine, 
79 

Trueing a Wheel, 40 

-Out in the Round, 41 

Tubular Tyres, Inner Tube, 
Extractor, *73 

-, Removing Inner Tube 

from, 73 

Tyre, Beaded, Fitting, 24, 61 
—, —, Removing, 59 
—, Burst, Repairing, *66 
—, Canvas Lining Fixing to, 
69 

—, Cuts in, Repairing, *66 


Tyre, Flints in. Removing, 59 
—, Punctures in, Repairing, 

6° 

—, Solutioning Rubber Bands 
to Tread of, 67 
—, Stopping for, 65 
Tyres, Inflation of, 56 
—, Outfits for Repairing, 57 

— for Racing Machine, 15 
—, Selecting, 14, 55 

—, Tubular, Repairing, 72 
—, Wired, Fitting, 62 
—, —, Removing, 60 

V 

Valve, Dunlop, *58 
—, —, Body Nuts, *58 
—, —, Dust Cap, *58 
—, —, Plug, *58 
—, Inner Tube, Testing for 
Leakage, 58 
—, Re-seating, 63 

W 

Water, Preventing Freezing in 
Acetylene Lamps, 87 
Weight of Racing Machine,'*"16 
Wicks, Fitting in Oil Lamps, 83 
—, Trimming, *84 
Wired Outer Covers, Fitting, 
62 

-, Removing, 59 

Wheel, Back, Adjusting, 25 
—, —, Building, 35 
—, —, Fitting, 25 

— Building, Spokes for, *31 
—, Front, Adjusting, 24 
—, —, Building, 33 

— —, Fitting, 33 

—, Out in the Round, Trueing, 
41 \ 

—, Stand for Enamelling, *79 
—, Trueing, 40, 41 
Wheels, Purchasing, n . 

—, Testing Adjustment of, 25 
—, — for “ Track,” 26 
Wooden Rims, 15 


Printed by Butler & Tanker, Frome and Tsmdnn. 




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Gyroscope. 

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Aviation. 


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Electrical Engineering . 


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Wiring. 

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Electric Lighting 


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Electro-Plating 


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LIST OF S. & C. SERIES 


3 


ACCUMULATOR. 

Ignition Accumulators. By Harold H. U. Gross. Care 
and management and Electric Light for the million, con¬ 
taining practical information on the Charging and Repairing 
of Motor Cycle, Motor Car, and other similar Ignition Accu¬ 
mulators. Also the adaptation of a slightly larger genus 
to a unique system of Electric Lighting. 12 illus., 66 pp. 
(No. 19, 1910.) is. 6 d. net. 

The Charging of Accumulators—Testing—Charging from Primary 
Cells and Supply Mains—The Prevention of Injurious Sulphate—The 
Repairing of Accumulators—Causes of Failure—Accumulator Dis¬ 
ease and Treatment of Cases—Fitting Terminals—Thickness of 
Plate and Capacity—The Accumulator in the Home—Plant and its 
Cost—System of Distribution—Turn-down Switch—Other Fittings— 
Switchboard and Wiring—Faults, their Location and Repair. 


AVIATION. 

How to Build a 20-foot Bi-Plane Glider. By A. Powell 
Morgan. A practical Handbook on the construction of 
a Bi-Plane Gliding Machine, enabling an intelligent reader 
to make his first step in the field of Aviation with a com¬ 
prehensive understanding of the principles involved. 30 
illus., 60 pp. (No. 14. New York, 1909.) is. 6 d. net. 

The Framework, assembling and finishing the Wood—Covering the 
Planes; laying out the Fabric and fastening it—Trussing; fasten¬ 
ing the rods and trueing the Glides—Gliding flight; the Principles 
involved ; Instructions and Precautions—Remarks. 

Natural Stability : And the Parachute principle in Aeroplanes. 
By W. LeMaitre. 34 illus., 46 pp. (No. 39, 1911 ) is. 6 d. 
net. 

Preface—The importance of Stability—Speed as a means of 
Stability—The Low Centre of Gravity—Short Span and Area—Vari¬ 
able Speed and the Parachute Principle—The Design which fulfils the 
Conditions. 


BATTERIES. 

Dry Batteries: How to make and use them. By Norman 
H. Schneider. Giving full detailed instructions for the 
manufacture of Dry Cells of any shape and size, especially 
adapted for Automobile, Launch and Gas Engine work, 
Medical Coils, Bells, Burglar Alarms, and for all purposes 



4 E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, LONDON, S.W. 


requiring a first-class battery. 30 illus., 59 pp. [No. 7 . 
New York. 1910 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Tools needed and their Use—Making the Cells—Chemicals employed 
in making the Cell—Assembling the Cell, Charging and Sealing- 
Finishing the Cell—a new form of Dry Cell—Connecting up 
Multiple" Series—Bell Work—Motor Work—change over Switch 
Wiring—When to throw away a Cell—How to Make an Electric 
star for Decoration—Electric Motors. 

Modern Primary Batteries: Their construction, use and 
maintenance. By Norman H. Schneider. Including 

Batteries for Telephones, Telegraphs, Motors, Electric 
Lights, Induction Coils and for all experimental work. 
55 illus., 94 pp. [No. 1 . New York, 1910 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—Cells for Intermittent Use—Acid Cells—Copper 
Sulphate Cells—Miscellaneous Cells—Selection and Care of Battery— 
Practical Notes. 


BICYCLES. 

Cycle Building and Repairing. By Peter Henry. In¬ 
cluding Care of Lamp, Enamelling, Repair of Tyres and Wheel 
Building. 55 illus., 96 pp. [No. 43 , 1913 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—Building a Machine—Building the Wheels—Simple 
Repairs—Tyre Repairing—Cycle Enamelling—The Care of the Lamp 
—Index. 


COILS. 

Experimenting with Induction Coils. By H. S. Norrie. 

Containing practical directions for operating, Induction 
Coils and Tesla Coils ; also showing how to make the ap¬ 
paratus needed for the numerous experiments described. 
26 illus., 73 pp. [No. 5 . New York, 1911 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—The Handling of a RuhmkorfE Coil—Experiments 
with Sparks—Effects in the Vacuum—Induction and Wireless 
Telegraphy. 


CONCRETE AND REINFORCED 

CONCRETE. 

Practical Silo Construction. Illustrating and explaining 

the most simple and easy Practical Methods of Constructing 
Concrete Silos of all Types from unpatented forms and 
moulds. By A. A. Houghton. 18 illus., 69 pp. [No. 27. 
New York, 1911 .) is. 6 d. net. 







LIST OF S. & C. SERIES 


5 


Concrete Silo—Requirements of a Silo—Size of Silo to Erect— 
Foundation—Foundation with Floor below Ground level—Forms 
for Monolithic Walls without Air Chamber—A Simple and Inexpen¬ 
sive Silo Form—Method of Raising Forms—Using Automatic Clamp 
—Plastered Silos—Concrete Block Silos—Concrete for Silo Work— 
Reinforcement of Silo—Doors for the Silo—Silo Roof—Ornamental 
Roof or Wall for Silo. 

Moulding Concrete Chimneys, Slate and Roof Tiles. 
By A. A. Houghton. 15 illus., 61 pp. (No. 28 . New 
York, 1911 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Requisites of Chimney Construction—Constructing Small Monolithic 
Chimneys—Interlocking Block for Small Concrete Chimneys—Orna¬ 
mental Moulds for Chimneys—-Interlocking Blocks for Large Chimneys 
—Forms for Large Monolithic Concrete Chimneys—Octagonal 
Monolithic Form—Various Types of Concrete Roofs—Monolithic 
Type of Concrete Roofs—A Simple Bracket for Concrete Roof Con¬ 
struction—Moulding Ornamental Concrete Roofs—Concrete Roofs 
of Reinforced Slab—Concrete Slate or Tile Roofs—Machine or Mould 
for Concrete Slate—Moulding Ship, Ridge Roll and Gable Ornaments 
—Preparing Plans for Roof Loads. 

Moulding and Curing Ornamental Concrete. A Practical 
Treatise covering the Various Methods of Preparing the 
Moulds and Filling with the Concrete Mixture ; Remedying 
Defects in the Casting ; Surface Treatment for various 
effects ; proper Proportions and Preparation of the Con¬ 
crete, and the best Methods of thoroughly Curing. By 
A. A. Houghton. 5 illus., 58 pp. (No. 29 . New 
York, 1911 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Dividing the Moulds—Coating the Moulds to Prevent Shelling— 
Placing the Concrete—Removing the Moulds—Repairing Defects in 
the Cast—Surface Treatment of Concrete—Curving of the Work— 
Moulding Imitation Marble—Imitating the Vein in Marble—Moulding 
Granite Concrete—Using Silicates as Colouring Agents—Mortar 
Colours for Concrete—Moulding Concrete to Imitate Tool-dressed 
Stone—Types of Moulds used for Ornamental Concrete—Plaster 
Moulds—Glue Moulds—Wood and Sheet Metal Moulds—Sand 
Moulds for Ornamental Concrete—Making Patterns for Cast Iron 
Moulds. 

Constructing Concrete Porches. The Construction of Mono¬ 
lithic Concrete and Concrete-block Porches, together with 
the Modelling of Columns, Balusters, Lattice, and Railings, 
as well as Plain and Reinforced Types of Porch Floors. 
By A. A. Houghton. 18 illus., 62 pp. (No. 35 . New 
York, 1911 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Concrete for Porch Construction—Foundations for Footing Courses 
—Plain Concrete Porches—Pilasters Employed in Wall—Panels for 






G E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, LONDON, S.W. 


Ornamenting Walls—Inserting Relief Ornaments in the Wall—In¬ 
serting Separate Moulded Panels in Wall—Concrete Block Porches— 
Concrete Porch Floors, Plain, Reinforced and Mosaic—Concrete 
Block Columns—Circular Block Columns, Plain and Fluted—Arch 
Type of Columnation—Plaster System of Moulding Columns, with¬ 
out Moulds—Concrete Baluster with Moulds—Concrete Lattice 
Design with Mould—Concrete Porch Railing and Mould.—Index. 

Concrete Monuments, Mausoleums, and Burial Vaults. 

Construction of Moulds with Simple Methods of Lettering 
and Plans and Designs, with complete details of Construc¬ 
tion. By A. A. Houghton. 18 illus., 65 pp. (No. 31 . 
New York, 1911.) is. 6 d. net. 

Construction of the Moulds—Panel System of 'Moulding—Employ¬ 
ing Panels for Ornamental Effects—Ornamenting Die with Incrusta- 
tation and Bas—Relief-designing Details of Concrete Monuments 
—Letters for Concrete Monuments—Moulding Concrete Letters— 
Cutting Inscriptions upon Concrete—Moulding and Placing Name 
Plates—Imitating the Vein of Natural Stone—Treating the Moulds 
to Prevent Sticking—Preparing the Concrete for Pouring—Placing 
or Setting Concrete Monuments—Constructing Concrete Mausoleums 
—Moulding a Concrete Columbarium—Moulding Concrete Burial 
Vaults. 

Concrete Floors and Sidewalks. Complete Instructions for 
Moulding with Plain and Ornamental Surfaces. Also Re¬ 
inforced Monolithic Floors and Sidewalks, and full Details of 
Moulds for Diamond, Hexagonal, and Octagonal Floor Tile. 
By A. A. Houghton. 8 illus., 63 pp. (No. 32. New 
York, 1911.) is. 6 d. net. 

Causes of Defective Floors and Walls—Foundations—Constructing 
Forms and Thickness of Slabs—Materials for good Concrete—Pro¬ 
portioning and Mixing, Placing and Tramping the Concrete—Size of 
Slabs and Expansion Joints—Placing and Finishing Surface—Tools 
for Finishing Floors and Walls—Metal Forms for Expansion Joints 
—Machine to Mould Curb and Gutter—How to Prevent Defects in 
Work—Curving the Work—Cost of the Work—Ornamental Surfaces 
for Floors and Walls—Moulds for Mosaic Floor Tile—Materials and 
Colours for Surfaces—Moulds for Hexagonal Blocks and Tile—Laying 
Concrete Floor Tile—Moulding Hollow Concrete Floor Slabs—Inter¬ 
locking Floor Slabs—Adjustable Brace for Shoring—Reinforced 
Floors and Slabs. 

Moulding Concrete Bath Tubs, Aquariums and Natator- 
iums. Explaining the Moulding of various styles of Bath 
Tubs, Laundry Trays, etc., with Easily Constructed Moulds 
for the purpose. By A. A. Houghton. 16 illus., 64 pp. 

(No. 33. New York, 1911). is. 6 d. net. 

Proportioning and Mixing the Concrete—Construction of the Core—• 




LIST OF S. &'• C. SERIES 


7 


Moulds for Bath Tubs—Moulding Rim of Bath Tubs—Plaster System 
of Moulding Bath Tubs—Moulding the Square Style of Bath Tub 
—Moulding the Legs upon Bath Tubs—Moulding Concrete Lavatories, 
Sinks and Closet Bowls—Moulding Concrete Laundry Tubs—Mould* 
ing a Concrete Aquarium—Design for a Large Concrete Aquarium— 
Concrete Aquariums for Outside Use—Moulding a Concrete Nata- 
torium—Waterproofing Concrete—Various Methods of Waterproofing 
—Use of Patent Compounds for Waterproofing Concrete. 

Moulding Concrete Fountains and Lawn Ornaments. The 

Methods of Moulding various styles of Concrete Fountains, 
Lawn Seats, Curbing, Hitching-Posts, Pergolas, Sun-dials, 
Lawn Vases, and other ornamental garden furniture of Con¬ 
crete. By A. A. Houghton. 14 illus., 56 pp. (No. 
37. New York, 1912.) is. 6 d. net. 

Concrete Employed for Lawn Ornaments—Preventing the Concrete 
from Adhering to Mould—Moulding Concrete Fountains—Construct¬ 
ing an Attractive Base for a Fountain—The Plaster System of Mould¬ 
ing Concrete Fountains—Moulding Concrete Lawn Benches and 
Seats—Moulding Concrete Curbing—Constructing Concrete Pergolas 
—Moulding Concrete. Sun-dials—Concrete Lawn Vases or Urns— 
Moulding Concrete Hitching-Posts—Finishing the Surface of the 
Work. 

Moulding Concrete Flower Pots, Boxes, Jardinieres. 

The Construction of various designs of Concrete Flower Pots, 
Jardinieres, and Window Boxes of Concrete, together with 
the reinforcement and surface treatment of the Casts after 
Moulding. By A. A. Houghton. 8 illus., 52 pp. (No. 
36. New York, 1912.) is. 6 d. net. 

Proportioning and Mixing the Concrete for the Work—Construction 
of the Moulds—Construction of the Cores—Plaster and Core Position 
Mould—Wood and Sheet Metal Moulds—Glue, Sand and Wax Moulds 
Reinforcing the Work—Removing the work from the Mould—Flower 
Pot Moulds—Flower Boxes of Concrete—Cardboard Models for Orna¬ 
mental Work—Inlaid Ornamentation—Cutting Ornamental Designs 
upon Work—Finishing the Surface of your Work. 

Concrete Wall Forms. A Practical Treatise on the Construc¬ 
tion of all Types of Wall Forms, Separators and Spacers 
for Reinforcement. Full Details and Working Drawings of 
an Automatic Wall Clamp are given. Foundations, Retain¬ 
ing Walls, Placing Floor Joints, Moulding Water Tables 
and Window Ledges, and Preparation of Foundations for 
Concrete Walls, are also dealt with. By A. A. Houghton. 
16 illus., 62 pp. (No. 30. New York, 1911.) is. 6 d. net. 

Bracing Wall Forms—Foundations for Walls—Constructing 
Footing Courses—Strength and Weight of Concrete—Easily made 






8 E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, LONDON, S,W. 


Clamps, Wire Ties, and Separators—Use of Metal Forms for Concrete 
Walls—Constructing an Automatic Clamp for Wall Forms—Operating 
and Adjusting Clamps to all Widths of Wall—The Best Method of 
Placing Floor Joists—Placing Door and Window Frames and Marking 
Wall into Blocks—Moulding Window Ledge and Projecting Orna¬ 
ments with Wall—Space for Reinforcement—Moulding Concrete 
Furring Strips to make Fireproof Wall—An Economical System 
of Constructing Walls—Joining Sections of Wall and Bonding Con¬ 
crete with Acids—Retaining Walls. 

Concrete Bridges, Culverts and Sewers. Illustrating vari¬ 
ous types of Solid and Reinforced Arch, Slab, and Girder 
Concrete Bridges; also the Molding of Concrete Culverts, 
Drains, and Sewers, with Forms for their Construction, 
By A. A. Houghton. 14 illus., 58 pp. (No. 34. New 
York, 1912.) is. 6 d. net. 

The Concrete Bridge—Definitions of parts of an Arch—Definitions 
of parts of a Concrete Arch Bridge—Foundations and Specifications 
for Concrete Bridges—Concrete Arch Bridges without Spandrel Walls 
•—Placing Concrete in Bridge Construction—Piers and Abutments 
•—Girder and Slab Bridges—Concrete Bridge Floors—Concrete 
employed for Bridge Work—Concrete Culverts and Drains—Con¬ 
structing Concrete Sewers—Index. 

ELECTRIC BELLS. 

Electric Bells, Annunciators and Alarms. By Norman 
H. Schneider. Second Edition, 70 illus., 83 pp. [No. 2. 
New York , 1913.) is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—Different Classes of Cells—Different Forms of 
Electric Bells and Pushes—Wiring—Alarms and Thermostats— 
Drop, Annunciators, Call Systems and Wire Systems—Fire Alarms— 
Three-wire return Call—Burglar and Clock Alarms—Combination 
Bell, Door-opener and Telephone Circuits. 

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING. 

The Study of Electricity for Beginners. By Norman H. 
Schneider. Comprising the Elements of Electricity and 
Magnetism as applied to Dynamos, Motors, Wiring, and 
to all Branches of Electrical Work. 54 illus., 88 pp., 6 tables. 
(No. 6. New York, 1910.) is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—Generation of Electricity—Current Flow—Con¬ 
ductors—Insulators—Resistance—Conductivity—Ohms law—Vari¬ 
ous kinds of Cells described—Grouping of Cells—Experiments in 
Magnetism—Lines of Force—Electro Magnets—Telegraph and 
Telephone—Ampere-turns—Whirls around Wire—Induction—Im¬ 
pedance—Principle of the Dynamo—Armature and Commutator 
—Motors—C.G.S. System—Definitions of Units—Magnetic Pro¬ 
perties and Prefixes used for Units. 




LIST OF S. & C. SERIES 


9 


Practical Electrics. A universal handybook on Everyday 
Electrical matters. 126 illus., 135 pp. 9th Ed. (No. 13 . 
New York, 1909 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Alarms — Batteries—Bells—Connections—Carbons—Coils—Dyna¬ 
mo Electric Machines—Fire Risks—Measuring—Microphones—Motors 
—Phonographs—Photophones—Storage—Terminals—Telephones. 

ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTING. 

Electric Gas Lighting. By H. S. Norrie. How to install 
Electric Gas Igniting Apparatus, including the jump spark 
and multiple systems, for use in Houses, Churches, Theatres, 
Halls, Schools, Stores or any large Building; also the care 
and selection of suitable Batteries, Wiring and Repairs. 
57 illus., 101 pp. (No. 8 . New York, 1907 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Introductory Remarks—Multiple Gas Lighting—Connections and 
Wiring—-Primary Coils and Safety Devices—Lighting of Large 
Buildings—How to select Batteries for Gas Lighting. 

ELECTRIC LIGHTING. 

Low Voltage Electric Lighting, with the Storage Battery. 
By Norman H. Schneider. Specially applicable to country 
houses, farms, and small settlements, launches, yachts, etc. 
23 illus., 85 pp. (No. 26 . New York, 1911 .) is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—Advantages of the Isolated Plant—The Essential 
Parts of the Plant—The Storage Battery—Portable Batteries—Why 
Primary Batteries are not suitable—Estimating and Installation— 
Ampere hour and Lamp hour—How to figure the Capacity Needed 
—Regulators—Installations for Launches and Yachts—Larger 
Installations and Specifications—The Electric Plant—Automatic 
Devices—Motive Power—Engines and Windmills—Some Typical 
Plants—Installation and Operation. 

ELECTRO PLATING. 

Elements of Electro-Plating. By J. T. Sprague. Cr. 8vo, 
72 pp., 2 illus. 1914 . (S. & C. Series, No. 44.) is. 6 d. 

net. Postage 2 d. 

General Principles—Preparation of the Objects—Preparing old 
Work—Vessels—Connections—Removable Deposits, Electrotypes— 
Moulds—Fusible Metal or Clichee—Guttapercha—Plaster of Paris— 
Wax Composition—Moulding Solid Objects—Moulding Busts and 
Undercut Objects—Elastic Moulds—Parkes Material—Coating In¬ 
sects, Flowers and Lace—Coating Glass and Earthenware—Utilization 
of Slugs—Conducting Surface—^topping off—Laws of Electrometal¬ 
lurgy—Smee’s Law—Strength of Solution—Electromotive Force 
—Resistances—Density of Current—Arrangement of Objects— 
Rate of Deposit—Position—Relative Proportions of Anode and 
Cathode—Distance to be Maintained—Depositing Apparatus— 







10 E & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, LONDON, S.VV. 


Motion of the Objects—Depositing Solutions—-Coppering Solutions 
—Depositing Copper—-Removing the Deposit—Bronzing—Quantity 
Deposited—Elmore’s Process—Cyanide of Potassium—Test for Free 
Cyanide—Test for Silver and Gold in Solution—Silver Solution— 
Silver Depositing—Striking the Objects—Disconnected Objects— 
Anodes—Working the Solution—Bright Deposit—Finishing the 
Work—Spoilt Silver Solutions—Gilding Solutions—Spoilt Gilding 
Solutions—Gilding—Heat in Gilding—Tinted Gilding—Plating Iron 
and Steel—Nickel Plating—Nickel Solutions—Bright Nickling— 
Depositing Nickel—Iron Depositing—Platinum—Platinum Solutions 
—Iridium—Aluminium—Lead and Tin—Refining Lead—Refining 
Copper—Arrangement of Vats—Waste in Action—Depositing Alloys 
—Practical Suggestions—Anodes—Calculating Deposits—Graduating 
Galvanometers. 

GYROSCOPE. 

The Gyroscope. An Experimental Study. By V. E. John¬ 
son, M.A. From Spinning Top to Mono-Rail. 25 illus., 
52 pp. (No. 22. 1911.) is. 6 d. net. 

The Simple Gyroscope—Experiments—Unicycle Gyro—Two¬ 
wheeled Gyro—Self-Travelling Unicycle Gyro—-Compound Gyroscope 
—Balanced Gyrostats—The secret of the Mono Rail—Stilt Gyro¬ 
scope—Experiments with a Hoop—Automatic means of hurrying on 
the Precession—Simplest form of Mono-Rail—Stabilising Apparatus— 
Turning a Corner—Electrically-driven Models—Original form of 
Electric Gyroscope—Electric Mono-Rail Model—Electric Source 
of Energy—The Car—Lines for Mono-Rail Model—Travelling along 
a Straight Line—Other Methods of Balancing—Non-Gyroscopie 
Stabilising Effects. 

INVENTIONS. 

Inventions: How to Protect, Sell and Buy them. By F. B. 
Wright. A Practical and Up-to-date Guide for Inventors 
and Patentees. 108 pp. (No. 10. New York, 1908.) 
is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—The Natural Rights of Invention and the Public— 
The business of Inventing—The Nature of a Patent and Patentability 
—The considerations for which a Patent is granted—Novelty and full 
Disclosure—Sole and Joint Invention and Joint Ownership—Protec¬ 
tion before Applying for a Patent Caveats—The Application for 
Patent and its Preparation—Patent Office Procedure—-Transfer of 
Patent Rights. 

PERSPECTIVE. 

Linear Perspective. By Charles W. Dymond, F.S.A. 

A Key to its Theory and Methods. 15 illus., 8 plates, 32 pp. 
(No. 20. 1910.) is. 6 d. net. 

Preface—Definitions—Theory—Examples—Appendix ; Directions 
for making a Model. 





LIST OF S. & C. SERIES 


If 


QUANTITIES. 

Builders’ Quantities. By Horace M. Lewis, Assoc. Inst. 
M. and C. Engineers ; M.R.S.I. Illus., 54 pp. (No. 40. 
1911.) is. 6d. net. 

Preface—General Introduction—Plow to Measure Areas, etc.— 
Methods of Measurement—Excavator—Sewers and House Drains— 
Bricklayer—Reinforced Concrete—Mason—Slater—Slate Mason— 
Tiler—Stone Tiling and Slating—Plasterer—Carpenter—Joiner and 
Ironmonger—Smith and Founder—Hot-water System—Lighting— 
Bells—Plumber—Painter, Glazier and Paperhanger—Examples of 
Billing. • , 

STEAM ENGINE. 

A B C of the Steam Engine. By J. P. Lisk, M.E. With 
a description of the Automatic Governor. Second Edition. 
6 large folding plates, 30 pp. (No. 17. New York, 1910.) 
is. 6d. net. 

General Remarks—Engine Base—Engine Frame—Tangee Frame— 
Girder Type—Slide Valve—“ D ” Valve—Piston Valve—Crank 
Shaft—Piston Rods and Valve Stems—Stuffing Box—Bearing 
Pedestals or Pillow Blocks—Journal Boxes—Flywheel—Diving Belts 
—Clearance—Steam Piping—Steam Line—Exhaust Pipe—Steam 
Separator—Steam Trap—the Governor—Shaft Governor. 

Model Steam Engine Design. By R. M. de Vignier. An 

Introductory Handbook of Practical Information, containing 
Formulae, Examples, Tables, and Data for the Model En¬ 
gineer. 34 illus., 94 pp. (No. 9. New York, 1911.) is.6d. 
net. 

Various Types—Power Calculations—Feed Pumps—Compound 
Engines—The Valve Diagram—Engine Lay-out—Patterns. 

The Corliss Engine. By J. G. Henthorn. And Its Manage¬ 
ment. By C. D. Thurber. 19 illus., 95 . pp. (No. 23. 
New York, 1904.) is. 6 d. net. 

Introductory and Historical—Steam Jacketing—-Indicator Cards— 
The Governor—Valve-gear and Eccentric—Valve Setting—Table 
for Laps of Steam Valve—Lubrication, with Diagram for same—Dis¬ 
cussion of the Air Pump and its Management—Care of Main Drivings 
Gears ; best Lubricator for same—Heating of Mills by Exhaust Steam 
Engine Foundations ; Diagrams and Templets for same—Materials 
for Engine Foundations—Appendix. 

The Fireman’s Guide. By Karl P. Dahlstrom, M.E. A 
Handbook on the Care of Boilers. Twelfth Edition, 26 pp.. 
(No. 16. New York, 1909.) is. 6 d. net. 

Introduction—Firing and Economy of Fuel—Feed and Water- 
Line—Low water and Foaming or Priming—Steam Pressure—Cleans¬ 
ing and Blowing out—General Directions—Summary of Rules. 





12 E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, LONDON, S.W. 


SOLDERING. 

Simple Soldering: Both Hard and Soft. By Edward 
Thatcher. Together with descriptions of inexpensive home¬ 
made apparatus necessary for this art. 52 illus., 76 pp. (N 0 . 
18. New York, 1910.) is. 6d. net. 

Soldering—Soft Soldering—Methods of Holding Work—Hard 
Soldering or Brazing—Cleaning up Work ; Polishing—Standard 
Apparatus—Home-made Apparatus. 

TELEPHONY. 

Elements of Telephony. By Arthur Crotch. 51 illus., 

90 pp. (No. 21. 1910.) is. 6d. net. 

Introduction—The Telephone—Telephone Sets—Exchange Work¬ 
ing—Multiple Switchboards—Automatic Signalling—-Common Bat¬ 
tery Working—Junctions—The C.B. Exchange. 


THEATRE. 

The Model Vaudeville Theatre. By Norman H. Schneider. 

How to Construct and Operate it. 34 illus., 90 pp. (No. 
15. New York, 1909.) 15. 6 d. net. 

Construction of a Model Theatre—Marionettes—Transformation 
Plays—Methods and Apparatus for Producing Scenic Effects— 
Illusions—Illuminated Views—Punch and Judy—Boxing Match— 
Black Art—Magic Lantern Act—Machines for Opaque Pictures— 
Method of Construction—Different Subjects Exhibited—Con¬ 
clusion. 


WIRING. 

Wiring Houses for the Electric Light. By Norman H. 
Schneider. With special reference to low voltage battery 
systems. 42 illus., 86 pp. (No. 25. New York, 1911.) 
is. 6 d. net. 

Lamp Holders—The Circuit Defined—Planning the Wiring— 
Completing the Installation—Installing the Lights—Other Methods 
of Wiring—Conduit Work—Bringing in the Service through Iron 
Pipe—Materials and Notes—Mouldings—Table of Copper Wire— 
Figuring the Size of Wire Required—Notes on Underwriters’ Rules— 
Openwork in Dry Places—Concealed Knob and Tube Work—Service 
Wires. 

Electric Circuits and Diagrams. By Norman H. Schneider. 

In two volumes. 

Vol. I. 217 illus., 72 pp. 2 nd Ed. (No. 3. New 



LIST OF S. & C. SERIES 


13 


York, 1913.) is. 6d.net. Wiring Circuits and Diagrams of 
the following :— 

Bells; Annunciators; Alarms—Telephones—Automobiles—Wiring 
and Simple Circuits—Gas Lighting by Electricity—Dynamo Circuits— 
Electrical Instruments—Motors—Street Railway—Storage Battery 
—Testing—Telegraph—Wireless Telegraphy 

Vol. II. 78 illus., 80 pp. 2 nd Ed. (No. 4. New York, 1911.) 
is. 6 d. net. Wiring Circuits and Diagrams of the follow¬ 
ing :— 

Alternating Current Generators—General Diagram of an Induction 
Generator—-Synchronizers—Diagrams of Switchboard Instruments 
—Diagrams with Transformers—Booster Transformers—Single place 
Motors—Reversing A.C. Motors—Series D.C. Arc Circuits—Switch 
Control of Lamps—Emergency Switch System—Storage Battery 
Diagrams—D.C. Motor Starters—Motor Speed Control—Solenoid 
Motor Starters—Three-wire Generators—Switchboard and Con¬ 
nections—A.C. Motors and Starters—Outdoor Lighting. 


WIRELESS TELEPHONY. 

Wireless Telephone Construction. By Newton Harrison, 

E.E. A comprehensive explanation of the making of a 
Wireless Telephone Equipment. Transmitting and Receiv¬ 
ing Stations fulffi explained, with details of construction 
sufficient to give an intelligent reader a good start in building 
a Wireless Telephone System and in operating it. 43 illus., 
74 pp. (No. 12. New York, 1912.) is. 6 d. net. 

What is Wireless Telephony ?—Ether Waves are Silent—Waves 
considered in various ways—Finding Length of an Ether Wave— 
Frequency and Radiation—Transmitting and Receiving Stations— 
Supplying the Arc Current from a Battery—Battery Maintenance— 
Arcs—Radiation—Current and Volts required by the Arc producing 
the Waves—High Voltages—Transformer—Cells for High Tension 
Power—Ruhmer Transmission System—Auto Coherers—Wave 
Detectors—Coils—Transmitting Apparatus—Testing—Microphones 
—Aerials—Earth Waves—Receiving Circuit—Detectors—Resonance 
Tube. 


WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. 

Making Wireless Outfits. By Newton Harrison, E.E. 

A concise and simple explanation of the construction and 
use of an inexpensive Wireless Equipment for sending and 
receiving up to 100 miles, giving full details and illustrations. 
27 illus., 61 pp. 2 nd Ed. (No. 11. New York, 1914.) 
is. 6 d. net. 






14 E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, LONDON, S.W. 


Waves, Antennae and Aerials. What the Relay is for—Making the 
Relay and Sounder—Marconi’s Coherer—The 1 ransmitter—Spark 
Coils—Vibrator—Condenser—Effect of daylight on Electric Waves— 
Connection of Antennae to Stations—Metal Towers—Ground Con¬ 
nections—Use of Gas Pipes for Ground—Tuning Circuits—Power 
required for long-distance Wireless Telegraphy—Dimensions of Coils 
for Sparks of different lengths—Telegraphic Codes—Morse Code— 
Continental Code—Earth Connections in the Country—Tables— 
Heights of Antennas with Distances between Stations—Brass Knobs 
8 /io inches in diameter—Dimensions for different Spark Lengths. 

Wireless Telegraphy for Intending Operators. By C. 
K. P. Eden, B.Sc., etc. i 6 illus., 8 o pp. (No. 24, 1913.) 
is. 6 d. net. 

Detectors—Transmitters—Tuning Apparatus—Wireless Station 
Equipment—Aerials and Earths—Small Power Experimental Appara¬ 
tus. 

Plans and Specifications for Wireless Telegraph Sets, 
Part I. By Frederick Collins. Complete and detailed 
instructions for making an Experimental Set, also a One to 
Five Mile Set. 37 illus., 47 pp. (No. 41. New York, 1912.) 
is. 6 d. net. 

An Experimental Transmitter—The Induction Coil—The Key—To 
Adjust the Transmitter—Experimental Receptors—The Relay—To 
Wire the Receptor—The Microphone Detector—A One to Five Mile 
Transmitter—Binding Posts—The Condenser—the Aerial and Ground 
Wire—A One to Five Mile Coherer Receptor—The Coherer—The 
Standards—The Relay—The Sounder—A One to Five Mile Auto- 
Receptor. 

Plans and Specifications for Wireless Telegraph Sets. 
By A. F. Collins. Complete and detailed data for construct¬ 
ing a Five to Ten Mile Set ; also a Ten to Twenty-five Mile 
Set. 63 illus., 72 pp. (No. 42. New York, 1912.) is. 6d. net. 

A five to ten mile tuned Transmitter—The Adjustable Spark 
Gap—a Simple Tuning Coil—The Completed Transmitter—a Five 
to Ten Mile Tuned Coherer Receptor—The Apparatus—The Con¬ 
denser—The Completed Receptor—A Five to Ten mile Tuned Auto- 
Detector Receptor—The Wiring Diagram—The Aerial—A Ten to 
Twenty-five Mile tuned Transmitter—Wiring Diagram of Low Voltage 
Circuits—from Ten to Twenty-five Mile Transmitter—A Motor 
Generator Set—A Ten to Twenty-five Mile Tuned Coherer Receptor— 
Choke Coil—The Completed Receptor—A Ten to Twenty-five Mile 
Auto-Detector Receptor—Telephone Receivers. 


LIST OF S. & C. SERIES 


15 


THE S. «S C. SERIES 


Uniform, in cloth, Price Is. 6d. net each. 

Postage 3d. 

No. - Page 

1. Modern Primary Batteries .... 4 

2. How to Install Electric Bells, Annunciators and 

Alarms ....... 8 

3. Electrical Circuits and Diagrams, Part I. .12 

4. Electrical Circuits and Diagrams, Part II. . 13 

5. Experimenting with Induction Coils . . 4 

6. The Study of Electricity for Beginners . . 8 

7. Dry Batteries, how to make and Use them . . 3 

8. Electric Gas Lighting ..... 9 

9. Model Steam Engine Design . . . .11 

10. Inventions, how to Protect, Sell and Buy them . 10 

11. Making Wireless Outfits . . . . . 13 

12. Wireless Telephone Construction . . . 13 

13. Practical Electrics ; a Universal Handy Book on 

Everyday Electrical Matters . . .9 

14. How to Build a 20 -foot Bi-plane Glider . . 3 

15. The Model Vaudeville Theatre . . . .12 

16. The Fireman’s Guide ; a Handbook on the Care 

of Boilers . . . . . .11 

17. A.B.C. of the Steam Engine, with a Description 

of the Automatic Governor. . . .11 

18. Simple Soldering, both Hard and Soft . .11 

19. Ignition Accumulators, their Care and Manage¬ 

ment ........ 3 

20. Key to Linear Perspective . . . .10 

21. Elements of Telephony . . . . .12 

22. Experimental Study of the Gyroscope . . 10 





16 E. & F. N. SPON, Ltd., 57 HAYMARKET, LONDON, S.W. 


THE S. <S C. SERIES 


No. 

23 - 

24 - 

25 - 

26 . 

27 . 

28 . 

29 . 

3 °* 

31 - 

32 . 

33 . 


34 - 

35 - 
36. 


37 - 


39 - 

40 . 

4i- 

42 . 


43 - 

44 - 


Uniform, in cloth, Price Is. 6d. net each. 


Postage 3d. 

The Corliss Engine ...... 

Wireless Telegraphy for Intending Operators 
Wiring Houses for the Electric Light 
Low Voltage Electric Lighting with the Storage 
Battery .' . 

Practical Silo Construction in Concrete . 
Moulding Concrete Chimneys, Slate and Roof 
Tiles ........ 

Moulding and Curing Ornamental Concrete 
Concrete Wall Forms . . . . . 

Concrete Monuments, Mausoleums and Burial 
Vaults . ....... 

Concrete Floors and Sidewalks 


Page 

11 

13 

12 

9 

4 

5 

5 
7 

6 
6 


Moulding Concrete Bath Tubs, Aquariums and 
Natatoriums ...... 


Concrete Bridges, Culverts and Sewers . 
Constructing Concrete Porches 

Moulding Concrete Fountains and Lawn Orna¬ 
ments ........ 

Moulding Concrete Flower Boxes, Jardinieres, 
etc. ..... 


Natural Stability and the Parachute Principle 
in Aeroplanes ..... 

Builders’ Quantities ..... 

Plans and Specifications for Wireless Telegraph 
Sets, Part I. 

Plans and Specifications for Wireless Telegraph 
Sets, Part II. 


Cycle Building and Repairing . . . . 

Elements of Electro-Plating. By J. T. Sprague 


6 

8 

5 

7 

7 

3 

11 

14 

14 

4 

14 


E. «S F. N. SPON, Ltd., LONDON. 


Printed by Butler & Tanner, Frome and Tendon. 









































































